Knorr-Bremse: Redundant brake system for trucks from 2027

Commercial Vehicles Knorr-Bremse Introduces Redundant Brake System for Autonomous Trucks

2026-07-17 From Sven Prawitz | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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Knorr-Bremse plans to start series production of a redundant brake system for highly automated SAE Level 4 trucks in 2027.

Fit for the road: Knorr-Bremse brings redundant brake system for autonomous trucks into series production.(Image: Knorr-Bremse) — Fit for the road: Knorr-Bremse brings redundant brake system for autonomous trucks into series production.
(Image: Knorr-Bremse)

Knorr-Bremse will bring its redundant brake system for SAE Level 4 commercial vehicles into series production in 2027. According to the company, the system is intended to create a central technological basis for safe, highly automated driving functions in freight transport.

As the first specific application areas, Knorr-Bremse particularly mentions hub-to-hub traffic, where trucks shuttle between fixed logistics hubs. Regarding initial applications, North America is predominantly developing into the lead market, according to the company.

Siemens Mobility has created a new travel train platform, Vectouro, for flexible international use in Europe. For this, Knorr-Bremse supplies braking and boarding systems. (Image: Siemens Mobility)

"Highly automated driving in the commercial vehicle sector is gaining momentum worldwide—albeit at different regional speeds," said Bernd Spies, member of the executive board of Knorr-Bremse AG and responsible for the Commercial Vehicle Systems division. He stated that redundancy solutions for braking and steering functions are being developed together with vehicle manufacturers and implemented into specific applications.

Redundancy as a Technical Prerequisite

With automation, the responsibility for driving dynamics and safety shifts from the driver to the technology itself. According to Knorr-Bremse, a fail-safe system architecture is a key requirement for this, in which individual errors are detected and compensated for without losing vehicle control.

The new braking system "rGSBC" is based on the existing braking control platform Global Scalable Brake Control (GSBC) and extends it with a second, independent functional path. In the event of a fault, this takes over vehicle deceleration with full ABS functionality. Through standardized interfaces, the system supports both automated operation as a "virtual driver" and manual control, as well as defined fallback strategies—from minimum risk maneuver to the so-called mission-complete operation, where the journey can be completed despite a fault.

In the steering system, Knorr-Bremse relies on a redundant design of the fully electric steering (rEPS), in which both the actuator and control are duplicated. According to the company, this creates an additional, independent redundancy level in combination with a steer-by-brake function. The portfolio is complemented by the redundant electrohydraulic overlay steering (rAHPS) as an alternative architecture.

Experiences from Level 4 Pilot Projects

According to Knorr-Bremse, it is already implementing specific Level 4 projects together with selected customers to gain system and integration experience. Central elements of redundant vehicle architectures have also already been validated in the ATLAS-L4 research project on autonomous driving, in which the company participated.

ADAS Systems as a Complement to Automation

In parallel with the development of redundant systems for highly automated driving, Knorr-Bremse is also advancing traditional driver assistance systems (ADAS). The Fusion Front ADAS system combines radar and camera sensors and includes, among other features, an emergency braking assistant with pedestrian detection and lane-keeping functions. According to Knorr-Bremse, these systems support vehicle manufacturers in meeting regulatory requirements such as the European GSR-II regulation. Additionally, Knorr-Bremse claims to have made a significant contribution to a 3-star rating for a vehicle manufacturer under the commercial vehicle-specific Euro NCAP protocol, which goes beyond the legal minimum requirements.

Knorr-Bremse will present its technologies from September 15 to 20, 2026, at the IAA Transportation in Hannover, Hall 12, Stand C21.

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