History of the Braking System
Not many things are know about the history of the braking system in a car. Though it is probably safe to say that the braking system was later introduced because man’s priority then was to invent an automobile. Their primary intention was how to make it move not exactly how to make it stop.
The brakes were not initially installed in the first automobiles way way back in 1769 when Nicolas Joseph Cugnot first tested his steam-powered car. This invention was not quite successful. Cugnot mange to crash his invention into a stone wall, thus world’s first car accident. Let’s give him credit though, if it weren’t for him the next inventors would not have think that braking system in an automobile is necessary.
Frederick William Lanchester an English engineer made several important contributions to automotive engineering, like coming up with a system similar to modern disk brakes that clamped the clutch disk for braking. He may have been the first person to design such a real system. This system has become the pattern for modern brake system.
In early times though, drum brakes were more commonly used because they offer offer several advantages over other types of brakes. One of which was that the drum could keep out water and dust materials that could damage disc brakes which were out in the open. Another thing is that drum brakes required drivers to apply less pressure on the pedal as compared to disc brakes. This was very important back then before hydraulic and power brake systems.
The next advancement in brake system technology was in 1918 during the invention of four-wheel hydraulic brake systems by Malcolm Loughead. It replaced the mechanical brake system that was used at that time. But the mechanical system was not perfect, it actually had some disadvantages. It made it difficult to brake all the wheels evenly, that led to loss of control. It also required drivers to exert more effort on the brake pedal to slow the car. This system was first used in the 1918 Duesenberg. It was further developed until it caught on in 1929.