Parking brake?

[Mr Miyagi]

I drive a 2006 Lexus which has a parking brake that is set with a floor pedal. While on a recent trip to Denmark, the two rental cars I was in had parking brakes operated by a switch on the dash. No floor pedal or hand lever.

One of the rentals was an Audi, the other a Toyota. Is this a new thing on cars to have switch activated e-brakes, or maybe its just a Europe thing?

[the_invisible]

Re: Parking brake?

Electric Parking Brake has been the heat lately. Not everybody could pull the lever or step the pedal enough to adequately engage the brake (as the parking brake relies on leverage, not hydraulic).

It's cool, until you have to replace the solenoid ten years down the road.

[Murr1525]

Re: Parking brake?

Sounds fishy to me. I can see how it can work, but I can also see where it is nice to have one thing actualy work by pulling on something.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Parking brake?

I guess it has more to do with accessibility for everyone. I still like the feel of manually setting the brake.

[Rthario]

Re: Parking brake?

Land Rover also uses this technology.

[visaliaipa]

Re: Parking brake?

My beemer just has a push button e-brake as well. And it does work I might add. Just a little hard to get used to but other than that its great.