With the global automotive industry transitioning towards electrification and intelligence, the braking system, as the core component of vehicle safety, is facing dual opportunities of technological iteration and market expansion. Innovative solutions such as lightweight materials, regenerative braking technology, and brake by wire systems have become the focus of the industry, and leading companies are accelerating their layout to promote the evolution of braking systems from "functional components" to "intelligent safety platforms".
1. The demand for new energy is driving technological breakthroughs, resulting in a 30% increase in regenerative braking efficiency
The explosive growth of new energy vehicles places higher demands on braking systems. The vacuum assisted braking of traditional fuel vehicles relies on the engine, while electric vehicles rely on electronic vacuum pumps or directly adopt electronic control solutions. Suppliers represented by Bosch and Continental have launched an integrated electro-hydraulic braking system (iBooster), which improves braking efficiency to over 85% through energy recovery and extends the range of electric vehicles.
According to industry estimates, the global market size of new energy vehicle braking systems has reached 5.2 billion US dollars in 2023, and is expected to exceed 18 billion US dollars by 2030 (data source: MarketWatch）。
2. BBW has become a standard feature in autonomous driving, and local enterprises are accelerating the domestic substitution
In autonomous driving scenarios above L3 level, the wire controlled braking system has become a must-have due to its fast response speed (millisecond level) and precise coordinated driving/steering system. The Integrated Brake Control system launched by foreign giants such as ZF has been installed in multiple high-end electric vehicle models; Chinese manufacturers such as Asia Pacific Group and Bethel have gradually broken their overseas monopolies by reducing product costs by 20% -30% through independent research and development.
In the first half of 2024, the domestic line control penetration rate will exceed 15%, and car companies such as BYD and NIO will fully introduce domestic solutions in their new models.
3. Lightweight+Sustainable: The commercialization process of carbon ceramic brake discs accelerates
In order to reduce energy consumption and improve performance, carbon ceramic composite (C/SiC) brake discs are shifting from the supercar field to high-end civilian vehicles. Brembo's latest "Greentive" series uses 70% recycled materials, which reduces weight by 60% compared to traditional cast iron brakes and extends their lifespan by 2 times. Tesla Cybertruck, Jike 001 FR and other models have listed it as an optional option.
In addition, environmentally friendly solutions such as copper free brake pads and bio based friction materials have also entered the mass production testing stage to meet regulatory requirements such as the EU's Ecological Design Directive.
4. Industry integration acceleration: parallel cross-border cooperation and supply chain restructuring
Faced with the increasing complexity of technology, the cooperation mode between the host factory and the brake supplier has undergone a transformation. For example, Great Wall Motors and Huawei have jointly developed an intelligent braking system that integrates vehicle algorithms to optimize braking comfort in congested scenarios; Ningde Times has invested in Kanai New Energy and laid out collaborative technologies for braking energy recovery and battery management.
On the other hand, companies such as Bosch and mainland China are shifting their traditional brake production lines to Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia to reduce costs and get closer to regional markets.
Future prospects
Industry analysts point out that as the trend towards Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs) deepens, competition in braking systems will shift from hardware performance to "perception decision execution" full chain integration capabilities. By 2025, intelligent braking systems that support OTA upgrades and can adapt to road conditions in real time may become standard for mid to high end car models. Modular and platform based design will further compress the research and development cycle, driving the industry into the era of "fast iteration".
