A parking brake apparatus is provided for a vehicle having components of a parking brake system and a number of devices providing a plurality of output signals indicative of a plurality of vehicle factors. The parking brake apparatus comprises an electronic controller arranged to (i) monitor the output signals indicative of a plurality of vehicle factors, and (ii) provide one or more control signals to be applied to components of the parking brake system to apply parking brakes based upon a predefined sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met.

A parking brake apparatus is provided for a vehicle having components of a parking brake system and a number of devices providing a plurality of output signals indicative of a plurality of vehicle factors. The parking brake apparatus comprises an electronic controller arranged to (i) monitor the output signals indicative of a plurality of vehicle factors, and (ii) provide one or more control signals to be applied to components of the parking brake system to apply parking brakes based upon a predefined sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met.

A parking brake apparatus is provided for a vehicle having components of a parking brake system and devices for providing a plurality of output signals indicative of a plurality of vehicle factors. The parking brake apparatus comprises an electronic controller that monitors the output signals indicative of a plurality of vehicle factors, monitors for a pre-startup sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met, monitors for a driver request to unpark the vehicle, monitors for a pre-release sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met, and applies one or more control signals to components of the parking brake system to release parking brakes based upon a valid pre-startup sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met, a driver request to unpark the vehicle, and at least one valid pre-release sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met.

A parking brake apparatus is provided for a vehicle having components of a parking brake system and devices for providing a plurality of output signals indicative of a plurality of vehicle factors. The parking brake apparatus comprises an electronic controller that monitors the output signals indicative of a plurality of vehicle factors, monitors for a pre-startup sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met, monitors for a driver request to unpark the vehicle, monitors for a pre-release sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met, and applies one or more control signals to components of the parking brake system to release parking brakes based upon a valid pre-startup sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met, a driver request to unpark the vehicle, and at least one valid pre-release sequence of the plurality of vehicle factors having been met.

A compensation control system is provided for preventing braking inconvenience of a flex brake that compensates for brake hydraulic pressure only for initial braking when a brake mode is forcibly switched, thus allowing a driver to recognize a change in braking force, and thereby improving stability when a vehicle is driven. The control system forcibly switches the brake mode, selected by a driver when a booster system fails, into a normal brake mode, and compensates to reduce the magnitude of brake hydraulic pressure, which is to be reduced when the brake mode is forcibly switched, during initial braking.

An electronic parachute deployment system including an electronic actuator, a control module, a deployment actuator, and a release mechanism. A parachute is positioned on a payload device, such as a racecar, to slow or stop the payload upon receipt of an electronic deployment activation signal. The electronic deployment signal is verified, including determining proper voltage and source. The deployment system includes multiple redundancies including mechanical deployment redundancy, remote deployment redundancy, and power supply redundancy. The control module responsible for monitoring deployment includes indicators and sensors to indicate a status, operation, or mode relative to the operability of the payload device, relative to components of the release mechanism, and relative to the parachute deployment.

An electronic parachute deployment system including an electronic actuator, a control module, a deployment actuator, and a release mechanism. A parachute is positioned on a payload device, such as a racecar, to slow or stop the payload upon receipt of an electronic deployment activation signal. The electronic deployment signal is verified, including determining proper voltage and source. The deployment system includes multiple redundancies including mechanical deployment redundancy, remote deployment redundancy, and power supply redundancy. The control module responsible for monitoring deployment includes indicators and sensors to indicate a status, operation, or mode relative to the operability of the payload device, relative to components of the release mechanism, and relative to the parachute deployment.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to limiting the use of an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle by particular occupants based on permission data. More specifically, permission data may include destinations, routes, and/or other information that is predefined or set by a third party. The vehicle may then access the permission data in order to transport the particular occupant to the predefined destination, for example, without deviation from the predefined route. The vehicle may drop the particular occupant off at the destination and may wait until the passenger is ready to move to another predefined destination. The permission data may be used to limit the ability of the particular occupant to change the route of the vehicle completely or by some maximum deviation value. For example, the vehicle may be able to deviate from the route up to a particular distance from or along the route.

In a method, which can be performed by a control device for carrying out an emergency braking and/or panic braking of a vehicle, in a first phase, a setpoint vehicle deceleration requested instantaneously by a driver is ignored and a motor of an electromechanical brake booster is operated in a predefined high power mode such that a main brake cylinder pressure in the main brake cylinder is increased; in an intermediate phase, the main brake cylinder pressure is reduced to a setpoint pressure by pumping brake fluid from the main brake cylinder into the at least one wheel brake cylinder and the motor force of the motor is reduced to a setpoint force; and the brake pressure increase in the at least one wheel brake cylinder is continued during a second phase only if the driver requests instantaneously a setpoint vehicle deceleration.

Please substitute the new Abstract submitted herewith for the original Abstract: An electropneumatic parking brake control device controls a parking brake including at least one spring brake actuator. The control device includes a relay valve with a control chamber and a vent. The control chamber can be connected to the vent via at least one second throttle element and/or at least one third throttle element depending on the position of the relay piston.