TRANSPORT
CAR BRAKES EXPL AINED
This essential system helps drivers stop their cars, even at high speeds
WORDSAILSA HARVEY
M odern vehicle brakes are more technologically advanced and smoothly operated than those built for the first cars. But the core mechanism has remained largely the same. The first car brakes involved the driver’s muscle power, as they were required to pull a lever that pressed wooden pads against the wheels. If they didn’t apply enough force, the wheels wouldn’t stop. Today, hydraulic systems are in place, but they rely on the same physics – using friction to slow the movement of the vehicle’s wheels. In modern vehicles, the force is delivered to each wheel via the simple push of a pedal. The driver doesn’t need to use as much force as the wheels require to stop them. This is because the fluid used in the brakes is pushed out from a small cylinder, amplifying the force.