India is currently at a threshold of an electric vehicle revolution, which promises a cleaner and greener future along with economical transport to the country. As India heads to take on this vehicular revolution, it is of utmost importance that focused research is done to ensure that the vehicles that go on road are safe and comfortable. A team of scientists from IIT Madras is working on the braking system of electric and hybrid vehicles to ensure that brakes used in these vehicles are regulated for safety and comfort.

In electric and hybrid vehicles, however, an arrangement is made to reduce this energy loss in the form of heat by use of another braking system called “regenerative braking system”. In electric vehicles both friction and regenerative braking system are required to be employed in a co-operative manner to ensure that we are able to conserve energy and are able to stop the vehicle within a reasonable distance.

“The change between two braking systems can cause momentary perturbations in vehicle’s deceleration and other vehicle dynamic parameters until the friction brake system increases its brake pressure to meet the desired brake demand for a constant brake pedal input. This situation disturbs the driver’s brake feel momentarily due to the difference in the dynamic response characteristics of these two braking systems” says Prof. C. S. Shankar Ram, Professor at Department of Engineering Design at IIT – Madras and leader of the research team.