EMB represents the ultimate advancement in brake-by-wire technology.
Vehicle braking is essential for safety and requires high technical standards. The evolution from hydraulic braking to electro-mechanical braking improves response speed, safety, and driving experience. This progress aligns with the development trends of automotive electrification and intelligence.
Hydraulic braking systems dominated the market in the era of fuel-powered vehicles, powered by engines driving vacuum boosters. Companies like Bosch, Mando, Continental, and ZF were the dominant players.
With technological advancements, new energy vehicles have continued to penetrate the market, leading to a gradual increase in the electronic integration of braking systems. In 2013, Bosch launched the first-generation iBooster, the first mass-produced TWO-BOX-EHB system, perfectly tailored to the braking needs of electric vehicles. It was later applied to Volkswagen’s entire lineup of electric vehicles. In 2017, Continental officially began mass production of the MK C1 ONE-BOX-EHB system, the first commercially available ONE-BOX-EHB system. That same year, it secured an order from Alfa Romeo for the Giulia, breaking Bosch’s monopoly and ushering in an era where ONE-BOX systems flourished. Domestic Tier 1 suppliers also started to emerge, including companies like Bertel, Fudi Technology, Great Wall Precision, and Tongyu, among others.
Driven by the wave of smart new energy vehicles, OEMs have higher expectations for the response speed, safety, stability, and driving experience of braking systems. EMB eliminates hydraulic actuation, achieving full electronic control with a simplified structure. It is widely recognized as the ultimate solution for brake-by-wire systems, with both domestic and international OEMs increasing their focus on it. The market is on the verge of commercial explosion, and the competitive landscape is still evolving.
The Value Creation of EMB for consumers: enhancing driving experience, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
Driving Experience: Compared to EHB, EMB reduces braking response time from 150-180ms to 80-100ms, offering faster response and more agile handling. The wheel-side motor-based braking process is smoother, reducing jerky sensations. The motor's location away from the cabin eliminates solenoid valve noise, creating a quieter driving environment. EMB is more compatible with autonomous driving and domain control architectures, making it easier to achieve an enhanced autonomous driving experience.
Safety: The fast response of EMB makes it more compatible with AEB systems, reducing braking distance in emergencies. With no hydraulic braking components in the engine bay, EMB helps improve safety during collisions. EMB features distributed brake force control, enabling individual wheel braking and power distribution to assist with traction and overcoming obstacles. The electromechanical system design makes fault prediction and diagnosis easier.
Cost Efficiency: Compared to EHB, EMB reduces residual torque from 1 N·m to 0 N·m, effectively minimizing drag. Additionally, regenerative braking deceleration can be improved by 40%, enhancing range. The braking performance also has a slower rate of decline over time. EMB removes all hydraulic system components, reducing vehicle maintenance and service costs.
The Value Creation of EMB for OEMs: Decoupling Hardware and Software, Improving Autonomy, and Reducing Assembly and Manufacturing Costs
Product Development: EMB allows software-based adjustment of clamping force, increasing the standardization of actuators and reducing the number of hardware system specifications. Its inherent software-hardware decoupled architecture aligns with OEMs' shift toward software-defined vehicles. This facilitates the creation of personalized driving experiences. Over time, software features can be monetized or offered as value-added services, building brand differentiation. Additionally, EMB is essential for the development of advanced autonomous driving systems.
Software Autonomy: EMB eliminates reliance on the dominant hydraulic control technologies of foreign suppliers. Its braking control algorithms are optimized for integration with domain controllers, giving OEMs greater control over core software capabilities. This reduces costs and overcomes the "black box" approach of supplier-delivered systems in the EHB era.
Cost Efficiency: EMB serves as an innovative solution and a unique selling point, driving higher vehicle sales. It forms the foundation for VMC integration, enabling a reduction in the number of vehicle controllers in the future. By eliminating the need for eBoosters and hydraulic pipelines, EMB simplifies production processes, reduces HC investment in production lines, and shortens assembly time. Its wheel-end actuators are highly standardized, leveraging a mature domestic supply chain for components and avoiding reliance on foreign-dominated products like valves. This ensures a secure and cost-effective supply chain.
Significant Market Opportunities for EMB
Regulations and industry standards for EMB are on the horizon, prompting active investment from both domestic and international OEMs. EMB commercialization is expected to take off by 2026, with projections indicating that the Chinese EMB market will exceed 28 billion RMB by 2030.
International Progress on EMB Standardization: In 2023, Europe began revising ECE R13/R13H standards for EMB, completing a draft by mid-2024. Formal adoption is planned for 2025, enabling the deployment of four-wheel dry EMB systems. In the U.S., FMVSS No. 127 mandates AEB, including pedestrian detection, as standard in all passenger vehicles, SUVs, and light trucks by 2029. EMB’s faster response and shorter braking distances make it an ideal match for AEB, improving system performance.
Domestic Progress of EMB Standardization: In 2023, the China Society of Automotive Engineers released the "Intelligent Chassis Technology Roadmap for EVs." By 2025, China aims to complete the integration and optimization of passenger vehicle EMB system prototypes, bench testing, and preliminary research, including integration of algorithms for electric braking, state estimation, and sensors into domain control. By 2030, EMB mass production is expected, with software-hardware decoupling through algorithm integration into domain or central control systems.In early 2024, the CAAM Automotive Brake System Committee discussed two industry standards on EMB caliper performance and durability, with publication expected within the year. The China Automotive Standardization Research Institute also held a session on Brake-by-Wire standards in April 2024. Domestic standards are expected to be officially released by 2026.
OEM Strategies: Tesla, as a pioneer in new automotive architectures and technologies, plans to fully integrate EMB around 2025 and is in the process of selecting suppliers. In addition, global OEMs such as General Motors, Ford, and BMW have clear plans to advance EMB technology. In the domestic market, new energy vehicle companies like Xiaomi, NIO, Li Auto, and Xpeng, along with traditional OEMs such as Great Wall, Chery, Changan, and GAC, are also pushing forward with EMB development. It is expected that 2026 will mark the year when EMB is mass-produced in China.
Market Size: With the continued growth of electric vehicles and automotive intelligence, the penetration rate of EMB is expected to exceed 30% by 2030, with the Chinese EMB market projected to surpass 28 billion RMB.
Challenges for EMB Mass Production
The mass production of EMB still faces challenges related to harsh wheel-end environments, space limitations, algorithm maturity, and cost control, placing high demands on suppliers' capabilities.
Harsh Wheel-End Environments: EMB places more critical components at the wheel-end, where high temperatures can affect the motor and ECU, while vibrations and water ingress also pose challenges.
Space Limitations: EMB wheel-end actuators are larger than EHB hydraulic systems, and the layout of the chassis is limited by steering and suspension. Increasing brake pad area to improve wear performance further complicates the design.
Algorithm Maturity: EMB requires software adjustments for motor control and integration with domain control and autonomous driving. It is nearing mass production but lacks real-world data for further algorithm refinement.
Cost Control: EMB’s launch price is expected to match the One-box+RBU solution (including brake control modules, wheel-end actuators, other components, and manufacturing costs)，while EHB continues to reduce costs, imposing strict cost-cutting demands on EMB as an alternative.
In the EMB system, the value share of the wheel-end actuator has significantly increased, forming the foundation of the EMB system. Teams with systematic capabilities for wheel-end actuator development are especially rare in China.
In EMB systems, the wheel-end actuator is more complex and accounts for a larger portion of the cost. While it makes up 30%-40% of the value in EHB systems, in EMB systems, it exceeds 85%.
Domestic companies like Bertli, Wanxiang Qianchao, Fudi Technology, Great Wall Precision, Yatai, and Jingxi Heavy Industry have previously achieved mass production of wheel-end actuators (e.g., EPB, calipers) in the millions.
EMB’s core technology includes wheel-end actuator design, software algorithms, and system integration. As OEMs focus on software-hardware decoupling and in-house domain control, they prioritize suppliers' hardware capabilities.
Wheel-End Actuator Design and Manufacturing: It includes designing core components, collaborating with suppliers for compatibility, and optimizing performance. The design ensures strength, lightweight, and low noise through simulations and tests, while quality control guarantees stability.
Actuator and Braking Algorithms: ESC/ABS algorithms integrate driver intent and sensor data to determine target clamping force. High-quality algorithms ensure safe braking in extreme conditions. The wheel-end actuator’s closed-loop control algorithm manages current, speed, and displacement, ensuring fast and precise clamping force execution.
System Integration Capabilities: The integration of hardware and software in the wheel-end actuator ensures efficient and precise control by embedding the closed-loop control algorithm into the actuator's PCBA. EMB system integration involves incorporating ESC/ABS algorithms into the domain control ECU, with close coordination between braking, steering, and suspension algorithms.
Domestic Startups Have a Chance to Leapfrog.
Leading international Tier 1 suppliers, domestic brake manufacturers, and EMB startups are entering the EMB field. EMB eliminates hydraulic control systems, reducing the technological gap between domestic and international Tier 1 suppliers. Both are advancing at a similar pace in R&D. Local Tier 1 suppliers have advantages in service, pricing, and technology development. As a result, EMB-focused startups have a strong opportunity to leapfrog the competition.
Watson Rally:
Watson Rally, founded in 2022, focuses on developing dry-line electro-mechanical brake (EMB) technology. The founding team has over 20 years of experience in brake R&D and production at DELPHI, with expertise in forward R&D and large-scale production meeting international standards. They also have experience building a business from scratch at a local listed company, reaching millions of brake units sold annually. In 18 months, Watson Rally completed the design and sample delivery of its EMB products. The company is collaborating with leading industry clients and successfully completed winter calibration tests for EMBs in multiple vehicle models. It has secured mass production contracts for both passenger vehicles and an autonomous logistics vehicle project, with production expected in 2025. The EPB production line in Jiaxing Pinghu is complete, and batch deliveries to leading OEMs have started. Watson Rally has attracted significant capital market interest, securing over 100 million RMB in funding from industrial investors, specialized funds, and top state-owned enterprises.
Brembo:
Brembo, founded in 1961 in Italy, specializes in high-performance brake systems and components. In October 2021, it launched the SENSIFY brake system, featuring an electromechanical brake (EMB) caliper for the rear wheels and a hydraulic electronic brake system for the front. The system now has evolved into a full dry EMB solution, with mass production in collaboration with Tesla.
Mando:
Mando, a leading South Korean automotive parts supplier founded in 1962, unveiled an EMB prototype at CES 2021 and is currently partnering with Tesla.
ZF:
ZF announced its four-wheel EMB solution and prototype at the end of 2023, showcasing a new dry brake system that eliminates the need for brake fluid.
Bertli:
Bertoli, in 2023, built on its WCBS1.0 line control brake system and developed WCBS2.0 with braking redundancy. The company also initiated EMB research, with the first A-round sample completed in August 2023 and undergoing winter testing.
Source: Jiuqian Capital WeChat Official Account
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