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Brake systems have already gone from mostly mechanical/hydraulic to more and more electronic with ABS, radar-autobraking, individual wheel braking with ESP and

Brake systems have already gone from mostly mechanical/hydraulic to more and more electronic with ABS, radar-autobraking, individual wheel braking with ESP and so on. The drivers brake pedal is just one of many inputs to the eventually hydraulic system, while the other inputs are already electronic. It seems to me you can simplify it but keeping all the brake inputs electronic and fusing them closer to the wheel, instead of having a mixed mechanical/electronic system? Same as a throttle. That used to be a wire (perhaps it commonly still is?) but the throttle input shifted from being solely the driver into being other systems like cruise control. As soon as you have an electromechanical system it does seem easiest to keep it electric->mechanical rather than mechanical<->electric. That simplification does ignore the driver feedback, however.

richiebful1 2y ago
To clear things up: the throttle used to be a physical cable, like on an affordable bicycle with rim brakes. It is still a cable on most motorcycles.
maples37 2y ago
The key difference here, though, is that all of those electronics are integrated into, and do not break the path of, the absolutely-must-work hydraulic path. Throttle-by-wire is a different beast entirely. If you step on the gas and don't go, that's usually very annoying, and depending on circumstances could be dangerous. But if you step on the brakes and don't stop, that's pretty much a guaranteed wreck right there.
- yencabulator 2y ago
  ABS does break that path. And then because it's decreasing pressure it now has to have an electric pump to bring it back up.