Domestic brake companies are vying for a share of the EPB market.

EPB (Electrical Park Brake) is the English abbreviation for the electronic parking brake system. Initially, EPB was merely a formal replacement for the manual brake lever, but now it has become an integral part of the automotive braking system and can be used for emergency braking, automatic parking assistance, and preventing rollback. The emergence of EPB has improved the overall vehicle design, saved interior space, and enhanced vehicle active safety.

In China, many people's awareness of EPB began with the old Audi A6L launched in 2005 and later models like the Volkswagen Passat. Today, EPB has become standard equipment for many mid-to-high-end models, and many domestic brands have also started matching EPB. EPB meets the demands of the automotive market and is being accepted by Chinese consumers. R&D personnel from component and vehicle manufacturers engaged in EPB production and matching work expressed in interviews that the demand for EPB products in the Chinese automotive market is immense, and a competitive battle is about to begin.

Demand for EPB in the millions

In recent years, the trend of automotive electrification and intelligence has become increasingly evident, especially in the automotive chassis field, where electronic control devices with advanced, safe, reliable, practical, and simple characteristics are being widely used, with EPB being one of them. In China, several component companies focused on braking products have long recognized the huge demand and development trend of the EPB market. In the coming years, vehicles equipped with EPB will occupy one-fifth of the market.

At the beginning of this year, Zhejiang Asia-Pacific Electromechanical Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Asia-Pacific Co.") tested products such as ESC and EPB at the Heihe cold region test base. In 2009, the postdoctoral research station of Asia-Pacific Co. applied to the National Development and Reform Commission for the automotive electronic parking brake system (EPB) project. Zheng Wenrong, manager of the automotive electronics division of Asia-Pacific Co., stated that the company began R&D on the EPB project as early as 2006. In recent years, the EPB market has developed rapidly, not only for joint venture models but also for many mid-to-high-end models of domestic brands. In China, millions of cars will be equipped with EPB.

Chen Qisheng, executive vice president of Zhejiang Libang Hexin Automotive Brake System Co., Ltd., appeared even more excited during an interview, saying: "The domestic EPB products are in short supply, especially in recent years, many domestic brand manufacturers have actively approached us for matching." It is understood that Libang Hexin began commercial research on the EPB project six years ago and started R&D production three years ago, with more than ten vehicle manufacturers currently matching.

The trend of integrated integration

EPB was initially applied to disc brakes, and as technology matured, drum brakes and both front and rear wheels of vehicles can also be equipped with this device. Therefore, the application range of EPB has expanded to B-class cars, A-class cars, and construction machinery. Lai Feng, an engineer in the braking department of the Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. Automotive Engineering Technology Research Institute, said: "EPB is a very fashionable and convenient equipment. Most domestic brands are preparing or have already started related matching work. Based on the current market situation, domestic brand manufacturers will not supply a large number of models equipped with standard EPB for the time being; EPB is still mainly used as an optional configuration."

EPB is mainly divided into cable-type and integrated type. Lai Feng explained: "From the results reflected in matching, cable-type EPB has many issues and is likely to be gradually eliminated, while integrated EPB will become mainstream. The so-called integrated type means that each caliper integrates a motor and works through ECU (Electronic Control Unit) instructions."

From the trend of integrating EPB with ABS, Zheng Wenrong stated that the mechanical components of the two systems are still separate, and integration mainly reflects that they can share one ECU. Currently, the market has a higher demand for standalone EPB products, and the products after the integration of EPB and ABS will require a period of adjustment before being widely applied in the market. Lai Feng also stated that this trend is inevitable, but as a vehicle manufacturer, they hope to purchase integrated products to reduce costs.

Mass production needs breakthroughs

Although the EPB market holds great promise, some domestic component companies already have the conditions for mass production of EPB, but no company has truly achieved mass production; most companies remain in the R&D matching stage. Several interviewed component companies also stated that the earliest products could be mass-marketed by early next year, but the specific timing will depend on the progress of matching with vehicle manufacturers. Meanwhile, foreign investments have been increasing in the Chinese market for EPB, aiming to dominate the Chinese EPB market.

Clearly, domestic component companies face the urgent need to overcome the hurdle of mass production in the face of the potentially huge EPB market and the relentless pressure from foreign enterprises.

Zheng Wenrong said: "Overall, the difficulty of manufacturing EPB is not great; the core lies in breakthroughs in key technologies, especially in the design and application of ECU software. We rely on the company's extensive experimental data accumulation to ensure the reliability of EPB and a series of related braking products." Chen Qisheng expressed a similar view and added: "Not only ECU, but the core component motor is also very important. To ensure product quality, domestic component companies' EPB motors rely on imports. Of course, we hope to procure motors of the same quality domestically within a few years to reduce costs."

It is understood that the manufacturing cost of a braking system equipped with EPB is on average three to four hundred yuan higher than that of a conventional braking system. Chen Qisheng added: "Including matching and calibration costs, the cost will increase by 5% to 20%, depending on the model." Clearly, a few hundred yuan in cost is not a significant issue for mid-to-high-end vehicles of joint venture brands, but it still poses some price pressure for domestic brand manufacturers. However, from the consumer's perspective, spending a few hundred yuan more for a practical and safe electronic device is still acceptable.

Related links

Investment situation of electronic parking brake (EPB) in China

TRW increases production supply of EPB in the Chinese market

TRW (American TRW Group) is one of the earliest component suppliers to market EPB for mass production. In 2007, TRW first produced EPB calipers in China and has recently won the business of supplying EPB to several local Chinese automakers. Several senior leaders at TRW have stated that they value the Chinese automotive market and will increase the production supply of EPB in China.

Continental invests 300 million yuan in electronic parking brake production

In early September this year, Ralf Cramer, president of Continental China, announced that the total investment for the expansion of the Continental Changshu plant is 292 million yuan, adding a production line for electronic parking brakes, which will supply electronic parking brakes to automotive manufacturers in China and Japan in 2014.

Wandong aims to capture 10% of the global EPB market share

Korean Wandong is the fifth supplier in the world to successfully develop EPB. In 2010, the wholly-owned subsidiary Wandong (Beijing) Automotive Chassis System Co., Ltd. began producing EPB. According to reports, Wandong has developed EPB for some Chery models and supplies products to General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, etc., aiming to capture 10% of the global EPB market share.

Asia-Pacific Co. tests EPB in cold regions

Zhejiang Asia-Pacific Electromechanical Co., Ltd. applied to the National Development and Reform Commission for the automotive electronic parking brake (EPB) project in 2009. Earlier this year, relevant tests were conducted at the Heihe cold region automotive parts testing base. Zheng Wenrong, manager of the automotive electronics division of Zhejiang Asia-Pacific Electromechanical Co., Ltd., stated that the Asia-Pacific EPB products are now very mature and are currently undergoing matching tests with several independent brand models. (Liu Honglong整理)

"Seize the 3-year gap period to welcome foreign investment challenges"

According to data, TRW has become the mainstream manufacturer in the EPB market due to its early research and development of EPB, rich experience, and patent protection. Other international parts manufacturers have also invested in EPB products in China, such as Germany's Continental and South Korea's Wan Dou.

Chen Qisheng, executive vice president of Zhejiang Libang Hexin Automotive Brake System Co., Ltd., carefully analyzed the current pattern of the EPB market for us. He said: "Foreign parts companies mainly supply EPB to joint venture automotive brands, while domestic parts companies supply EPB to independent automotive brands. In other words, there has not yet been direct competition between domestic and foreign parts companies in the EPB field, and this situation is expected to last for about 3 years, a period referred to as the gap period."

In this regard, Lai Feng, an engineer in the braking department of the Chassis Technology Research Institute of Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., expressed agreement. He said: "Wandu has matching cooperation with Chery and GAC for EPB, but independent brand companies mainly purchase EPB products from domestic suppliers, as the matching R&D costs of foreign companies are relatively high, and some are even difficult to accept."

Lai Feng also believes that in the coming years, as EPB patent protections expire, related technologies become publicly available, and more parts suppliers develop their own intellectual property EPB, the prices of EPB products will be rapidly reduced, and the huge market capacity will also mean that competition will become more intense.

Therefore, the 3-year gap period is a time of significant change in the EPB market pattern, and it is also a period for independent parts companies to build strength and prepare adequately to compete with foreign parts companies. So, what should parts companies do? Chen Qisheng expressed his thoughts.

First, gather talents in electronic control technology. This is not just a cliché, but a key point that companies must always keep in mind, especially by introducing talents who have participated in related technology research and development abroad, which can ensure technological advancement and keep pace with or even surpass foreign companies. Second, procure high-standard parts, especially core components, to ensure quality equivalent to foreign brands, and choose imports when necessary, while encouraging domestic parts companies to develop related products. Third, recognize the development direction of the EPB market; the integration and unification of automotive electronic products is the development trend of the entire automotive industry. Finally, reduce product calibration and matching costs and provide good service. Compared to foreign parts, this is an advantage for independent parts companies, as detailed design matching plans, comprehensive technical support, and subsequent value-added services will bring more benefits to vehicle manufacturers.