BRAKING MODES

Never have we ever had so much choice while braking!

SHASHANK SINGH

Modern cars and bikes, whether conventional petrol/diesel, hybrids or pure electric vehicles (EVs), all now come shod with various modes. Be it drive modes (like race/city/ off-road), engine modes (power/ economy), braking modes and what not. What all these modes have in common is their philosophy. When the demand from respective departments is high, we can switch to their most aggressive mode, which incidentally also consumes maximum energy. But more importantly, when demand is low, we can switch these systems to their softer modes, which will save energy by providing only what’s required. These modes are a boon specially for modern EVs, where every mW of energy saved translates into improving range and reducing our anxiety.

But there is an argument brewing up in all this. I understand that for the pleasure of driving we need drive and engine modes, so that we can amp-up or tone-down the performance of our beloved vehicle as per our own adrenaline rush. But what on earth do we require braking modes for? I mean brakes have only one job to do and that is to stop the vehicle when we slam the brake pedal, right? Well, not quite. In the not so distant future, and currently in few examples on-road as well, braking modes are the most special and complicated modes that manufacturers are currently scratching their heads with and without which no future vehicle will be able to run.