Journey to the Arctic Circle with Bosch's Brake-by-Wire System

Successful long-distance test for the new braking system

Bosch engineers have successfully completed the first journey exceeding 3,300 kilometers on public roads, passing through various climate zones.

The brake-by-wire system completely replaces the mechanical connection between the brake pedal and the braking system with electrical signal lines.

Bosch has already received orders from various vehicle manufacturers and plans to launch the technology in the fall of 2025.

Bosch expects 5.5 million vehicles worldwide to be equipped with a brake-by-wire system by 2030.

Over six days, covering more than 3,300 kilometers and passing through different climate zones, the Arctic Circle was reached: on this drive, the Bosch development team successfully tested Bosch's new hydraulic brake-by-wire system on public roads for the first time. The feature that distinguishes the brake-by-wire system from other systems: This solution completely eliminates the mechanical connection between the brake pedal and the braking system. The driver's braking request is transmitted to the braking system via electrical signals through an electrical connection. For this new approach, Bosch offers a robust and efficient solution with two independent hydraulic brake actuators: a brake-by-wire actuator and an ESP®. Today's braking systems, such as the integrated power brake (IPB) offered by Bosch, still provide the necessary backup in the event of a failure via a mechanical brake pedal connection. This mechanical connection via the control shaft to the brake pedal is eliminated in the new Bosch brake-by-wire system solution.

Bosch, a leader in braking and steering systems, is working on innovative system solutions, including brake-by-wire, which is planned to be launched from the fall of 2025. In addition to the hydraulic solution, Bosch is also developing a fully electromechanical system. The company has already received orders from various vehicle manufacturers and anticipates that more than 5.5 million vehicles worldwide will be equipped with a brake-by-wire system by 2030.

ADVANTAGES OF THE BOSCH BRAKE-BY-WIRE SYSTEM

Freedom in assembly: With the elimination of the mechanical connection, there is no need for braking system components to be mounted on the vehicle's firewall. Instead, components can now be mounted in the most optimal location for crash safety, NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness), and production. The flexibility in choosing where to mount the brake actuators helps eliminate the need for different variants for right-hand and left-hand drive vehicles. Brake-by-wire system technology enables new pedal designs with significantly shorter brake pedal travel to create space for new interior designs.

Bosch's brake-by-wire system solution is based on proven braking system technology and consists of a combination of a brake-by-wire actuator (BWA) and an ESP®. The mechanically reduced design saves installation space and reduces the weight of the braking system. Since both the brake-by-wire actuator (BWA) and the ESP® can operate on independent lines, they can generate the necessary brake pressure for the vehicle's four wheels in the event of a failure. Therefore, the Bosch solution is also suitable for autonomous vehicles, as it ensures the safety of the braking system is maintained.

Successful long-distance test provides valuable data for further development

The brake-by-wire system is being developed at the Bosch headquarters in Abstatt, near Heilbronn. The development team's long-distance journey started in southwestern Germany and ended at the Bosch winter test center Vaitoudden in Arjeplog, northern Sweden, passing through Hamburg, Copenhagen, and Stockholm, and including some driving within the Arctic Circle. Based on its comprehensive safety concept, Bosch applied for and received approval to use the test vehicle on public roads in various countries.

Hagen Kuckert, project manager for the Bosch brake-by-wire actuator (BWA) in Abstatt, Germany, says, “The entire team worked with incredible motivation for this event, and we are proud of this success. Our hydraulic brake-by-wire system worked perfectly throughout the journey. With our first long-distance test, we impressively demonstrated that we can safely and successfully move a real brake-by-wire system from the test track to the road. During the journey, we performed thousands of braking operations, obtained important insights and data regarding the behavior of the braking system in a wide variety of traffic situations, and compared them with our previous simulations. All this data has been incorporated into the development work to further optimize our brake-by-wire system.”