Hory shet Brembo may have just honestly revolutionized automotive brakes! The Brembo Sensify brake system uses electronic parts, instead of hydraulic parts. So instead of pads clamping onto the rotors through hydraulic pressure like they pretty much always have for the last hundred years, Sensify uses electronic motors on each individual caliper.
Through a network of electric sensors & brains, Brembo Sensify can control each caliper independently…
AND can communicate with the tires to know the exact threshold of grip at each tire under max-braking. In other words, the precise threshold at which each tire will lose grip & begin sliding/screeching. That goes for wet OR dry conditions, and various road surface/grip conditions. It also means that if you want better performing brakes… just upgrade your tires.
Sensify could make hydraulic brakes as we know them – obsolete.
It makes ABS obsolete right off the bat. Heck it makes all the brake lines & master cylinder obsolete too. Also in Brembo Sensify, is a new spring design (Enesys) that pulls the pads completely off the rotor when not in use. Therefore eliminating any touch of rolling resistance from the brake system. This is obviously beneficial for any car, but it’s especially beneficial in electric vehicles where you need to make the absolute most out of range & efficiency. And since with Brembo Sensify, your brake pedal essentially becomes just an electronic switch… it will be possible to customize ‘braking feel’. For Example, a comfort mode where the pedal is a bit more progressive, or a sport/track mode where the pedal feels ultra deliberate & responsive. And because Sensify controls each wheel independently… it’s nearly impossible to skid/spin if you jab the brakes mid corner, or jerk the steering wheel under threshold braking.
One obvious question/concern would be, “What happens if there is a loss of power?”
Brembo says the Sensify system comes with a back-up power supply in case of vehicle power loss. Shoot – hydraulic braking systems can certainly fail too. Other concerns would be: “Are we giving up too damn much driver-skill & responsibility to the machine??” My personal answer to that question is YES. You can’t stop progression. But you also shouldn’t blindly surrender your life to technology either. Drivers should learn & posses certain skills pertaining to car control. And that should never become obsolete, no matter how technology improves. Ultimately – it’s up to each one of us to decide if we want to be a capable human being or not. But innovation & better performance is something that, as car enthusiasts, we’re always chasing in the aftermarket. And wow – it seems like this could be a giant opportunity for that. One final concern though: There is apparently talk of over-the-air updates with the Brembo Sensify system, which could enable Brembo to sell customers upgrades and/or subscriptions for towing packages or track packages, etc. Enough with the in-app purchases & subscriptions already.
Brembo Sensify will come in 2 packages:
A fully electronic 4-wheel braking system, like the first photo of the generic sedan. This is where all four calipers are controlled with electric motors. And Brembo will also offer a hybrid system (below), where the rear calipers will be electronic, and the front calipers will be hydraulic… BUT with two independently closed systems on each driver & passenger side. That way Sensify will still be able to make calculations & control the brake pressure if each wheel independently.
