Emergency braking assistance: everything you need to know

Emergency Brake Assist, also known as Emergency Brake Assist (AFU), is an innovation in the automotive sector that provides greater safety for motorists and other road users. Thus, when the driver presses hard on the brake pedal, it immediately gives full braking power.

🚘 How does emergency brake assist work?

Emergency braking assistance works in direct connection with ABS which prevents the wheels from locking. The APU mainly allows reduce braking distance by increasing the braking power. This is the necessary equipment road safety for avoid accidents and collisions with other users.

Thus, Emergency Braking Assist is triggered when the driver presses the brake pedal hard as he detects that braking must be immediate. So she will help reduce braking distance from 20% to 45% to ensure the safety of the driver and other motorists.

For example, if you are driving at a speed of 100 km / h, the braking distance is 73 meters, and with this assistance system it is from 58 to 40 meters. This system can also be combined with some manufacturers: automatic ignition of hazard warning lights to alert other road users of sudden braking of your vehicle.

In practice, the emergency brake assist is connected to electric calculator whose role isanalyze the urgency of braking. This is done taking into account how the driver will press the brake pedal - hard or repeatedly.

Thus, if he thinks that braking is important and needs to be accelerated, it will work. It is triggered by a mechanical system that acts as a second brake pedal.

When this emergency brake is activated, it ESP (Electronic Stabilization Program) here it is do not lose control of the car correcting its trajectory. Thus, AFU does not avoid impacts or collisions, but in any case it allows you to limit its power, slowing the vehicle down as much as possible.

⚠️ What are the symptoms of a malfunctioning emergency braking system?

It is possible that the electronic emergency braking assist computer in your car is out of order. If so, you can quickly diagnose it because you will have the following symptoms:

• Loss of braking power : When you press hard on the brake pedal, it takes longer for the car to stop because the emergency braking system is no longer activated to help you stop.
• Increased braking distance : as the braking is no longer so powerful, the braking distance is lengthened and the risk of collision increases;
• Inability to turn on hazard warning lights : This feature is only valid for vehicles for which the manufacturer has built in the automatic activation of hazard warning lights when using the emergency braking aid. If they no longer work, the system no longer works as expected.

🔍 What is the difference with Active Emergency Braking?

Active emergency braking, like many other equipment, including emergency braking assistance, is part of the driver assistance systems... Active emergency braking has radar и Front camera to determine what precedes your car.

Thus, it can detect other vehicles, cyclists or even pedestrians. Hence it a system that warns the driver of a possible collision with an acoustic signal and message on the dashboard. If the system detects an imminent collision, it begins to brake before the driver presses the brake pedal.

Unlike AFU, which has only an electric computer, active emergency braking is equipped with more important technology and communicates directly with the driver.

In addition, this system can be triggered independently of the driver's actions. He applies the braking system before the driver activates it himself.

💰 How much does it cost to repair the emergency brake assist system?

The cost of repairing an emergency braking system can vary from vehicle to garage and from garage to vehicle. Since it is associated with an electronic computer, mechanics will need to be performed self-diagnosis using diagnostic case и OBD connector your car.

Thus, it will allow him to view the various error codes and erase them in order to reboot the system to make sure it is effective again. On average, the cost of electronic diagnostics is from 50 euros and 150 euros.

Emergency Brake Assist is one of the key ways to improve the safety of your vehicle and reduce the risk of an accident. As soon as it seems to lose its effectiveness, you will have to turn to a professional for a diagnosis. Feel free to use our online garage comparator to find the one closest to your home and at the best price!