BRAKE TECHNOLOGY

1. INTRODUCTION

DEFINITION OF THE SYSTEM
· A braking device consisting of a combination of interacting parts that work to slow a motor vehicle

· A brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion.

· Most commonly brakes use friction to convert kinetic energy into heat, though other methods of energy conversion may be employed.

-The vehicle brake system consists of two hydraulic circuits. If one circuit is not working; the remaining circuit can still work to stop the vehicle. For normal braking performance, both circuits need to be working. If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem. Have the brake system inspected right away.

-The vehicle brake system consists of two hydraulic circuits. If one circuit is not working; the remaining circuit can still work to stop the vehicle. For normal braking performance, both circuits need to be working. If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem. Have the brake system inspected right away.

2.AUTO DRY BRAKE SYSTEM

Safety is something every manufacturer takes seriously, and automakers constantly develop new technology to help make driving safer for everyone.

StabiliTrak has been around since the late 1990s and has gone through various upgrades and changes over the years, but this is the first time the company has specifically targeted wet brakes.

Auto Dry Brakes work with the SRX Rain Sense automatic windshield wiper system, or when the standard windshield wipers are operating, and the SRX has been traveling over 20 mph continuously for more than four miles without using the cruise control. A slight amount of hydraulic pressure is generated by the StabiliTrak hardware, which pulses pressure to the vehicle’s brake calipers at intervals to wipe water from the brake rotors while the car is moving.

With drier rotors, when the driver does apply the brakes, the brake system operates more effectively, giving a more-assured stopping feel and better brake effectiveness in wet conditions.

Auto Dry Brakes are designed to apply pressure to all four of the SRX’s disc brakes at roughly six kilometer intervals, while the accelerator is applied. The system works seamlessly with StabiliTrak, anti-lock brakes and traction control without the driver knowing anything is happening.

BASIC OPERATION SYSTEM

When active, Auto- dry brakes, also known as Rain Brake Support, help improve overall braking performance in rainy conditions by applying the brakes to reduce the amount of water on the braking surfaces. When these driving conditions are encountered, the SRX brake system automatically applies the appropriate amount of pressure an all four wheels for 1.5 seconds to create this effect. For Auto-dry brakes to function, the following conditions must be met continuously for a distance traveled of at least 3.7 miles:

1) The vehicle must be travelling faster than 19 mph
2) The accelerator pedal position must be greater than 10 percent
3) The cruise control must be turned OFF
4) Windshield wipers must be in any ON position or Rain sense wipers activated (if equipped) 

BENEFIT OF TECHNOLOGY

Electronic stability control systems like StabiliTrak are already proving to help prevent crashes. The 2012 Cadillac SRX wrings a new benefit from the system –removing water from brake components during wet highway driving conditions. Drivers can feel more in control in soggy conditions because Auto Dry Brakes can help to improve overall brake effectiveness during rainy conditions on the highway.