A method for finding an optimum trailer gain, comprising: applying trailer brake pulses to a trailer while a vehicle is coasting using a trailer brake of a trailer, wherein the trailer is coupled to the vehicle; monitoring an average deceleration of the vehicle and the trailer brake gain of the trailer brake pulses applied to the trailer while the vehicle is coasting; generating a graph of the average deceleration of the vehicle versus the trailer brake gain, wherein the graph includes a curve that illustrates a relationship between the average deceleration of the vehicle and the trailer brake gain of the trailer brake pulses applied to the trailer while the vehicle is coasting; and finding a bend point of the curve in the graph to determine an optimum trailer brake gain.

A braking system for a vehicle includes devices that are configured to apply braking force to a wheel in response to a braking command. A first sensor is disposed to monitor a parameter associated with the braking force, and a spatial sensor is disposed to determine a linear range between the vehicle and a predefined locus point. A controller is operatively connected to the braking system and in communication with the first sensor and the spatial sensor. The controller detects a braking event and determines a time to stop and an applied braking force during the braking event, which is integrated over the time to stop. The braking system is evaluated based upon the total stopping distance and the integrated applied braking force during the braking event. A fault associated with the braking system is determined based upon the evaluation of the braking system.

An anti-theft electronic parking brake actuator includes a key switch for activating and de-activating the parking brake, and preventing theft of a vehicle. The electronic parking brake actuator further includes a cell phone interface to both notify an owner when the parking brake is released. The electronic parking brake actuator may further include a GPS device monitoring vehicle location and notifying the owner if the vehicle is moved while the parking brake is actuated, and reporting vehicle location.

Technical solutions are described to for determining thickness of a vehicle brake rotor. An example method includes providing vehicle parameters that identify operating conditions of a vehicle, and using the vehicle parameters to determine work done by a brake of the vehicle as brake-work. Further, the method includes using the brake work to determine brake rotor temperature, and using the brake rotor temperature to determine brake rotor wear. The method further includes accumulating the brake rotor wear to provide an estimation of the thickness of the vehicle brake rotor.

A method for controlling an electronically slip-controllable power braking system of a motor vehicle. Power braking systems are equipped with a plunger unit, which includes a plunger piston accommodated in a plunger cylinder and delimiting a working chamber, for generating brake pressure in brake circuits. This plunger piston is actuatable by an electronically activatable drive in a pressure buildup direction or in the opposing spatial direction thereto in a pressure reducing direction. A time-limited drive of the plunger piston takes place in the pressure reducing direction as soon as an actual brake pressure generated by the plunger unit has reached a predefinable setpoint brake pressure and a decoupling of a wheel brake and the plunger unit from an associated brake circuit has taken place.

A method avoids a collision of a motor vehicle initially moving backwards or forwards, in particular leaving a parking place, with cross-traffic. The method detects whether there is a risk of collision with cross-traffic; determines a last possible braking intervention for ensuring avoidance of collision when there is a risk of collision with cross-traffic; and performs an automatic last possible initiation of a braking intervention for preventing the collision in the event of an identified risk of collision, if avoidance of the collision is ensured thereby.

This electric brake device includes: a brake rotor; a friction member; friction member operator configured to bring the friction member into contact with the brake rotor; an electric motor configured to drive the friction member operator; and a controller configured to control a braking force by means of the electric motor. The controller includes: heat balance degree estimator configured to estimate a balance degree among heat generation amounts of a plurality of exciting coils in the electric motor; and heat load balancing section configured to decrease a heat generation amount of a specific exciting coil when the heat balance degree estimator has estimated that the heat generation amount of the specific exciting coil among the plurality of exciting coils is larger than heat generation amounts of the other exciting coils.

A vehicle which adopts a control device as a braking control device includes a sensor that acquires a rotation angle of a wheel. The control device includes a first distance calculation unit, a second distance calculation unit, and a braking control unit. The first distance calculation unit sets a braking force corresponding to a braking operation member operation amount as a reference braking force, estimates vehicle longitudinal acceleration based on the reference braking force, and calculates a braking force reference distance estimating a moving distance until the vehicle stops based on the longitudinal acceleration. The second distance calculation unit calculates a wheel reference distance estimating the vehicle moving distance based on a detection signal of the sensor and a wheel diameter. The braking control unit executes feedback control for controlling the vehicle braking force so that a difference between the braking force reference distance and the wheel reference distance decreases.

A braking method for a vehicle is provided. The method includes the following steps: obtaining a first state information of the vehicle, where the first state information includes a vehicle mass and a deceleration required by braking; calculating a braking torque required by the vehicle according to the first state information, and controlling an output of an electric braking torque according to the braking torque required by the vehicle; obtaining a current vehicle speed of the vehicle and a maximum electric braking exit speed; and; controlling, if the deceleration required by braking of the vehicle changes to zero, the vehicle to unload the electric braking torque when the current vehicle speed is less than the maximum electric braking exit speed. A braking device for a vehicle and a vehicle are further provided.

The vehicle control system includes a braking force generating device (6, 22) configured to generate a braking force to shift a load of a vehicle to a side of front wheels thereof at an initial stage of a cornering, and a control device (31) configured to control the braking force generated by the braking force generating device. The control device calculates an additional deceleration (Gxadd) according to vehicle state information, calculates a lateral jerk equivalent value (Jy) according to the vehicle state information, and sets a lateral jerk correction coefficient (Kj) for weakening the additional deceleration. The control device corrects the additional deceleration by the lateral jerk correction coefficient (K), and calculates an additional braking force (Fbadd) to be generated by the braking force generating device according to the corrected additional deceleration.