Bosch Patents Touchscreen Backup Braking System for Brake‑by‑Wire Cars
Bosch’s new patent proposes a third control unit and a touchscreen or steering‑wheel button to stop a car if its electronic brakes fail.
Brake‑by‑wire systems are replacing mechanical linkages with sensors and computers, meaning the car interprets pedal pressure and commands the brakes electronically. Bosch has filed a patent for a backup braking system that would engage if the electronic controls fail.
The proposed architecture uses three separate control units. The first and second units manage normal braking operations, while the third continuously monitors them for faults. If the monitoring unit detects a malfunction in either of the primary units, it can activate an emergency braking function and alert the driver with visual, audible or haptic signals.
What sets this idea apart is the way the driver could request braking. One embodiment places an emergency button on the vehicle’s infotainment touchscreen. Another version positions the control directly on the steering wheel, allowing the driver to keep both hands on the wheel. The system could interpret a brief tap as light braking and a longer press as stronger braking, letting the driver modulate the stop.
Bosch notes that this approach would let a driver “ease into a stop” rather than slam to a halt, distinguishing it from conventional automatic emergency braking systems that intervene to avoid collisions. The focus is on providing an alternative braking interface when the regular electronic controls become unavailable.
With more manufacturers adopting brake‑by‑wire, a redundant control unit and a new driver‑initiated braking method could be a safety advantage. However, locating a virtual brake button on a screen during a panic may be problematic, and a steering‑wheel button, while more accessible, still differs from the familiar pedal. For now, the design remains a patent filing, and there is no guarantee it will appear in production vehicles.
