Brembo Unveils 'Sensify': The First Hydraulic-Free Brake System for Modern Vehicles

Most drivers understand that traditional car brakes rely on hydraulic fluid to function. However, with the rise of electric and hybrid vehicles, mechanical braking systems are used far less frequently. According to BMW, drivers of current electric vehicles rarely activate their hydraulic brakes, instead relying on regenerative braking from electric motors to slow down. This approach reduces wear on brake pads and rotors, saving maintenance costs.

Brembo’s new Sensify braking system takes this concept further by eliminating hydraulic components entirely. Instead, it uses a brake-by-wire system powered by electronic controls and electric motors. The company describes Sensify as a plug-and-play solution that can be integrated at the platform level or as part of an existing vehicle architecture, including advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

Brembo emphasizes the system’s scalability, stating:

"Designed as a scalable and adaptable solution, Sensify is engineered to support a wide range of advanced vehicle architectures, from next-generation driver assistance systems to fully autonomous applications, marking a key milestone in the evolution of braking toward a truly software-defined future."

The announcement provided limited details about the system’s mechanics and fail-safe mechanisms. More information is expected once the first production vehicles equipped with Sensify begin rolling off assembly lines, likely from an undisclosed automaker.

A Brembo spokesperson confirmed to The Drive that series production has already started for a leading global vehicle manufacturer. However, the company declined to name the customer due to confidentiality agreements.

While the automaker remains unnamed, Brembo’s announcement suggests the system is already attracting significant interest. Additional partnerships and details are expected to emerge in the near future.