Short Review of EMB Systems Related to Safety Concepts

Abstract

A growing interest in Electromechanical Brakes (EMBs) is discernible in the automotive industry. Nevertheless, no EMBs have ever been deployed for series production, although countless publications have been made, and patents have been filed. One reason for this is the need for the optimization of functional safety. Due to the missing mechanical/hydraulic link between the driver and the actuator, sophisticated concepts need to be elaborated upon. This paper presents the current state of the art of safety concepts for EMB systems (only publicly available publications are reviewed). An analysis of current regulatory and safety requirements is conducted to provide a base for design options. These design options are explored on the basis of an extensive patent and literature research. The various discovered designs are summarized and analyzed according to their (a) EMB actuators; (b) control topology; (c) energy supply; and (d) communication architecture. This paper concludes by revealing the weak points of the current systems.