Brakes India unveils indigenous motor-on-drum brake system at Auto Expo 2023

The Rs 5,000 crore revenue TSF Group has used the platform of the Auto Expo 2023 – Components Show to showcase the latest development by its wholly-owned company, Chennai-based Brakes India. The indigenously developed motor-on-drum brake system is designed for use in passenger vehicles.

Brakes India has showcased its locally-developed motor-on-drum brake system as the solution is increasingly finding application in the Indian automotive market as a cost-effective alternative to conventional electronic parking brake systems (EPBs) that are offered in premium cars.

A motor-on-drum brake system replaces the disc-brake setup in a conventional EPB with a drum-brake system and utilises an electronic motor and actuator to engage and disengage the parking brake.

The new concept has been indigenously developed by the Indian Tier-1 major at its Chennai R&D centre, where it has completely developed the software of the system as well as accomplished the testing, development and validation, right from the prototype stage in-house.

Brakes India's indigenous motor-on-brake system uses an actuator which is common for brake drums of diameter ranging from 200mm to 295mm, therefore ensuring compatibility for both cars and large SUVs. The system is also capable of offering up to 200kg of load at the lever end, stepping it up from 150kg in conventional EPBs.

Furthermore, features like hill-hold assist, drive-away assist and reclamp mechanism can also be integrated into the new system by collaborating with the car's ECU.

Application potential in EVs too

When it goes to market, Brakes India will manufacture the product locally at its plant in Chennai and sees application potential in EVs which are increasingly switching away from traditional handbrakes.

"The product strengthens our footprint in the EV segment for both domestic and international markets and has been validated in line with global breaking norms. The design is compact and robust and we are seeing tremendous market response," said K Vasudevan, president and head, Light Vehicle Business, Brakes India.

The company also showcased its range of compact air distribution units to condensate separators with supreme oil separation efficiency for commercial 9T LCVs to up to 60T tractor trailers across various applications. It claims it has made several patented improvements to the reliability and performance of the products.

Order book stands at Rs 1,500 crore

Brakes India currently commands a healthy order book of Rs 1,500 crore and sees exports contributing 20% to its overall revenues. The company exports to over 30 countries including Europe and North America and its exports growth in the ongoing fiscal is in the range of 15-20 percent.

"We are witnessing new inquiries owing to the global supply chain disruptions which have put India in a more stable position. While the impact of global recession does not yet reflect in our order books, we expect growth to remain muted in the next one to one-and-a-half years," Sriram Viji, managing director, Brakes India, told Autocar Professional.