Single Wheel Braking - A New Method to Measure Friction Potential on Public Roads

Knowledge about the friction potential could improve several advanced driver-assistance systems. The true friction potential, needed to validate every friction potential estimation method, is normally measured by full braking tests. These are limited to proving grounds and cannot measure the friction potential on public roads due to their potential impact on surrounding traffic. In order to measure the friction potential under real conditions, a new method, which only brakes one wheel for a short time, is developed. By the means of force measurement wheels all forces acting on the wheel are measured. The vehicle reaction is analyzed and it is shown, that the method can be used without endangering other traffic participants. Measurements of the new method are validated by comparing measurement results to full braking tests and first results of measurements on public roads are presented.