Allowing Drivers to Adjust Braking Power of Brake Pedal
Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors have developed a new brake technology that allows drivers to adjust the braking power of the brake pedal according to their preference.
The automakers said their “Flex Brake” technology is the first of its kind in the world that enhances the sensibility and safety of driving and shortens the braking distance.
The two companies started research on the next-generation braking technology in 2012 and completed its development in 2016. It finished complementary work for commercial application of the new technology early this year.
The Flex Brake offers three modes – Mild, Comfort and Sport. Each mode has different braking power and braking distance. Comfort mode sets the braking power of the pedal at the same level as the conventional brake. Mild mode is relatively more comfortable and easier to operate. Sport mode has a fast response speed and sporty feel.
When drivers chooses a brake mode that corresponds with the driving mode they have chosen, the driving feeling is further strengthened. For instance, if you use sport brake mode while driving in sport driving mode, you match the rapid acceleration of sport driving mode with the fast and strong braking of sport brake mode, thus enhancing safety at high speed.
In particular, the Flex Brake technology allows you to stop faster than before by reducing the time from the initial pressure (the force on brake pedal) to the point where the desired braking force is generated. It will shorten the braking distance and support the use of 100 percent braking force, and it is expected to reduce the risk of accident caused by insufficient operation of the brake pedal.
Hyundai and Kia are considering applying the Flex Brake to future Genesis high-performance models. The first application model is expected to be Genesis' first sports utility vehicle (SUV) GV80, which will be released in the second half of this year. The company also started to develop second-generation Flex Brake technology.