Subject: Automobile Engineering

Topic: Brakes, Steering & Front Axles

Difficulty: Low

Brakes are required to stop the vehicle within the smallest possible distance & this is done by converting the kinetic energy of the vehicle into the heat energy which is dissipated into the atmosphere. Requirement of braking system:
i) The brakes must be strong enough to stop the vehicle within a minimum distance in an emergency. But this should also be consistent with safety.
ii) The brakes must have good antifade characteristics i.e, their
effectiveness should not decrease with constant prolonged application e.g. while descending hills. This requirements demands that coding of the brakes should be very efficient.