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Hydraulics-free brakes for cars may go mainstream

Leading brake manufacturer Brembo recently announced that its Sensify intelligent brake-by-wire braking solution has entered production for a leading global car manufacturer, being fitted as standard on 100% of the vehicles in the program. Sensify is a fluid-free architecture that distributes intelligence at the wheel level, removing hydraulic circuits and centralized actuation. It uses software-controlled electro-mechanical actuators at each wheel.

The system is not exclusively designed for electric cars. Most current production brake-by-wire systems use hydraulic actuators on the front brakes, although they are "decoupled" from the brake pedal, with the pedal acting as a sensor.

The Sensify brake-by-wire system. [Credit: Image courtesy of Brembo]

 

 

According to Brembo engineers, the system "enables accurate and continuous modulation of braking forces, supporting stable and controlled vehicle behavior in complex and highly variable driving conditions, enhancing peace of mind." Unlike traditional braking systems that apply the same pressure to all four wheels, Sensify continuously monitors and controls the braking action on each wheel independently. Key components include intelligent electronic control units (ECUs), electric calipers with high-precision motor-driven screw jacks, specialized pads/discs, and brake pedal force sensors to manage clamping force independently at each wheel.

Sensify stands apart in the electro-mechanical braking technologies (EMB) segment with state-of-the-art hardware and adaptable software layers. It naturally integrates into the software-defined vehicle design trend, allowing manufacturers to deploy advanced functionalities across vehicle platforms.

Sensify meshes the design of the best braking components with the integration of a digital brain and sensors that control each wheel independently. The system combines the current Brembo product portfolio of calipers, discs, and friction materials with digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to create a flexible and evolutionary platform that includes software, predictive algorithms, and data management to control the brake system digitally. Brembo says the setup can also "individually customize brake response to enhance driving pleasure."

The result is improved car handling, performance, and safety. In addition, Sensify is in total harmony with automotive megatrends: electrification, connectivity, and digitalization.

The Sensify system, shown here being made, is being incorporated into the line of a major car manufacturer. [Credit: Image courtesy of Brembo]

 

 

For now, Brembo has not revealed the automaker that is incorporating this new hydraulics-free braking tech into its cars, but it is counting on eventually equipping hundreds of thousands of vehicles with the brake-by-wire system.

In December 2024, Brembo announced it had partnered up with tire maker Michelin to help develop and test the Sensify technology. In one test scenario, developers looked at the continuous exchange of real-time data between Michelin's connected solutions software, which provides tire grip data to the Sensify braking system. These unique tire insights enabled engineers to fine-tune the braking system with exceptional precision, further enhancing its characteristics.

Thanks to their unique know-how in live vehicle data analysis, Michelin has developed a portfolio of software able to provide real-time information to the car, such as wear (Michelin SmartWear), load (Michelin SmartLoad), and grip (Michelin SmartGrip). Michelin's software works with all tire brands.

The initial tests performed virtually and in the field were very promising. In the first phase, Michelin's tire models and algorithms were integrated with Brembo's intelligent braking models and vehicle simulations in a fully virtual environment. In the second phase, physical tests were conducted on tracks at Michelin's R&D center in France, where the simulation results were confirmed.

According to Brembo, "The tests demonstrated braking distance reductions that can reach up to 4 meters (13 ft) during ABS events, with the same tires in various conditions -- an impressive result considering that four meters is close to the average length of a car."

Brembo also said the braking system "showed quicker response time, minimized traction loss, improved lateral stability, and the absence of wheel locking." All these factors contribute to a smoother, safer, and more comfortable driving experience.

How will the Brembo Sensify system perform with real-world customers? We won't have to wait long to find out.

Sources: Brembo, Michelin

Published May 2026

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