Today's new vehicles have become a rolling acronym, with an alphabet soup of features: ABS, ESP, EBA, TCS, DSC, et cetera. Most of these result from the use of high-speed electronic sensors and modern computers to provide assistance in controlling the vehicle during poor traction, braking or other emergency manoeuvres.

Unlike ABS, which has become almost universally recognized and used, other electronic systems carry names or initials that change from one manufacturer to another. They mainly address braking, traction or stability. One of these, Electronic Brake Assist (EBA), is a braking aid closely related to ABS. Basically, EBA automatically applies the brakes more quickly and more powerfully in an emergency.

It began more than a decade ago during the early days of ABS and electronic stability control systems. While preparing for training and explaining the new systems, suppliers and manufacturers conducted instrumented testing to show the systems' effectiveness. They discovered that almost every driver is slow to apply the brakes when faced with an emergency, or only applies full pressure when it was too late.

The average driver, faced with an emergency braking situation, tends to move his foot to the brake pedal very quickly, but fails to apply sufficient pressure immediately. The tests revealed the driver most at risk from such a delay was inexperienced at emergency response. Such drivers are quick to apply the brakes, but then briefly re-assess the situation before applying full pressure to the pedal.

Although the delay is only a fraction of a second, that is significant in terms of distance travelled. A delay of one-10th of a second can mean three metres in additional stopping distance at 100 km/h. The solution was to use the new rapid electronics and sensors to all but eliminate the delay.

Electronic Brake Assist thus consists of sensors and programming that measure pedal velocity (the speed with which the driver hits the brake) and the initial force applied to the brake pedal. Complex algorithms ascertain if the driver considers this an emergency. If so, full brake pressure is immediately applied and the ABS system activated.

Tests conducted with the new systems showed reductions of 15 to 45 per cent in braking distance. Even the most experienced driver benefits from a stop at least one vehicle length shorter than would have been the case without EBA.

The current systems employ adaptive learning to monitor driver habits, learning how quickly and with what force the driver normally activates the brakes, and storing that information in memory. When the driver hits the brake more quickly or with more force than normal, brake assist is activated. The systems are integrated with not only ABS but stability control systems, enabling them to take full advantage of both to ensure a controlled stop in the shortest distance possible.

Brake assist, like traction control, is a significant offshoot of the electronics used for ABS. EBA has proven to reduce stopping distances. For those who worry about Big Brother taking control of their vehicle, brake assist intervenes only when the driver's action indicates an emergency and immediately reduces pressure when the driver reduces pressure on the pedal.