- Police tested pulling an e-parking brake at speed, finding surprisingly controlled stops.
- Electronic parking brakes engage all four brakes and ABS for smoother emergency halts.
- While tempting to test, trying this on public roads is unsafe and strongly discouraged.
Not long ago, I was cruising along an empty country highway when my attention wandered to the electronic parking brake button. With no other cars in sight, I started wondering what would happen if I pulled it while moving. I let my impulse win and pulled it.
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Warning: Do Not Try This At Home
Much to my surprise, it brought my press car to a complete stop, without any fuss, other than some beeping. As it turns out, plenty of other people have also wondered how parking brakes like these work on the move.
Watch: What Happens If You Pull An Electronic Handbrake At 120 MPH?
Last week, a popular pair of police officers in Germany set out to see what would happen when they pulled the electronic parking brake on their cruiser, meaning you don’t have to do this experiment yourself. Much like me, they also found that the car came to a quick and controlled stop, noting that after pulling the brake, it activated all four brakes and the ABS.
Real-World Testing at High Speeds
Several YouTubers have also done similar experiments over the years. Last year, popular Russian channel Garage 54 tested the electronic parking brakes of several new Chinese vehicles on the move, as well as a BMW 5-Series.
While all of the systems worked, it took a lot longer for the 5-Series to come to a stop, as it doesn’t appear to have engaged the ABS. Way back in 2019, Cleetus McFarland also did a similar test in his C7 Corvette. It also brought the car to a safe and controlled stop.
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Why This Could Matter
In the real world, you may be wondering why there would ever be a need to pull the electronic parking brake in a car. In one scenario, the German police officers show that it could be useful if the driver falls asleep, or perhaps suffers a medical episode, and a passenger is able to pull up the switch to slow the car down quickly.
If you own a car with a traditional e-brake, things likely won’t go so well. Chances are, pulling the brake will lock up the rear wheels, and there won’t be any intervention from the ABS.
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