The University of Adelaide Centre for Automotive Safety Research, supported by local manufacturer SafeTstop, has conducted a landmark study into brake testing methods – the first in 30 years. The report’s findings contain with frightening results. There is no doubt that lives are at risk.

The study looked at the brakes of a common passenger vehicle by simulating faults routinely found in cars. Modifications were made to the car’s braking system to allow for the adjustment of hydraulic pressure to each wheel from 100% to zero. In addition to the valves, sensors were placed on each wheel to ensure precise measurements, and the data recording and accuracy was reviewed by the National Institute of Measurement. The tests were repeated for accuracy.

The basis of assessing the test methods was a stopping distance test on an airport runway which was then compared with results from a decelerometer, a roller tester and a plate brake tester.  In an attempt to find the best method of testing the hydraulic and mechanical operation of brakes, the ability of each method to find brake faults was explored.

The decelerometer is the most common method of testing for light vehicles, although it is not able to identify brake faults. When the pass/fail criteria are set to comply with current NSW requirements, the device failed ONLY the most severe brake fault scenario in the study.  In that situation, the vehicle had NO BRAKE function on the rear and a reduction of 33% on the front axle.  The faults caused the car to take 75% longer to stop than it is designed to, which was a distance of 20 metres at 80 km/h.  In every other case, this testing device PASSED the vehicle as safe, according to current regulatory requirements, although many of these had brake faults that dangerously increased stopping distances.  The extra stopping distance and the potential for handling issues under extreme braking with such severe imbalances, clearly poses significant risks to road users.

The decelerometer also cannot measure left to right braking imbalances, or front to rear braking imbalances, and both must be correct for a vehicle to stop in an emergency without affecting handling.  Left to right and front to rear balances are both part of the NSW safety requirements (pink slip inspection) but this device is not able to measure either.  Yet the device is accepted for testing in most Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions.

The roller brake tester is also used extensively for heavy vehicles and in this study was able to identify some of the left to right imbalances.  However, it incorrectly identified some, and in two situations, it incorrectly passed and failed left to right imbalances and it is unable to measure front to rear imbalances.  For 6 of the 10 common brake fault scenarios in the study, the roller brake tester failed to correctly assess faults against the deceleration pass/fail criteria common in Australia and New Zealand (less than 60% peak deceleration or 47 % average deceleration).

The SafeTstop plate brake tester was able to identify all the brake faults in the study. It accurately measured the brake imbalances on each axle, both front to rear, and left to right. It identified all the simulated brake faults in all the scenarios in the study.  It was also able to measure the reduction in peak and average deceleration of all the brake fault simulations and to accurately pass or fail vehicles against the current requirements for road safety.

These requirements allow vehicles to be labelled “safe”, when their brakes have been tested in only the most rudimentary way.

Consumers will demand practices that are supported by current research.  SafeTstop is leading the way, offering workshops and customers a test that measures the performance of safety systems as well as clearly illustrating the results.

 

Testing Summary:

Decelerometer Plate Brake Tester Roller Brake Tester
Can accurately test against government requirements? Only Deceleration YES SOME
Can measure left to right imbalance? NO YES SOME
Can measure front to rear imbalance? NO YES NO
Measures deceleration? YES YES SOME

 

Download the Full Report here

    [md-form]

    [md-text label="Name"]

    [/md-text]

    [md-text label="Phone"]

    [/md-text]

    [md-text label="Email Address"]

    [/md-text]

    [/md-form]

    Message Us

    Get In touch below. Ask Any Question or Start a Free Quote

    Call Us

    +61 2 9832 0045

    Get in Touch

      Address

      Unit 1, 44 Eddie Road
      Minchinbury NSW 2770
      Australia

      Phone

      +61 2 9832 0045

      Australia Toll Free Phone

      1300 88 61 64

      NZ Phone

      +61 2 9832 0045

      SafeTStop
      5.0
      Based on 20 reviews
      powered by Google
      Wendy Bieder
      Wendy Bieder
      09:23 27 Jul 22
      When you want the best , look... no further. Amazing system and incredibly accurate.Can’t wait to run my caravan over the machine .read more
      Gary Tansley
      Gary Tansley
      07:26 08 Jan 22
      Great service with a quality... productread more
      01Aladdin
      01Aladdin
      22:05 30 Nov 21
      The people at Safe-T-Stop... have been over the past few years EXCEPTIONAL and the device itself (plate brake/suspension tester) to all intents and purposes infallible. On the rare occasions the unit has broken down, service has been remarkably fast. Annual servicing of the unit has been done professionally and always on time. Frankly, i wish more businesses and tools were all this good.read more
      Chris Mullins
      Chris Mullins
      06:22 30 Nov 21
      Good job as agreed
      Thomas Reber
      Thomas Reber
      21:55 16 Nov 20
      I've dealt with SafeTStop... support team on 3 occasions and I must say they are incredibly helpful, I have been talked to by their NSW team from VIC over the phone about how to replace components and other required calibrations. Many thanks to Denise for my most recent concern which was resolved quickly with excellent customer service.read more
      Tim Lhuede
      Tim Lhuede
      11:47 10 Sep 20
      Great product and support.... This machine has unreal ROI. It's been 3 weeks and it looks to pay itself off in 6 months (small shop 4 mechanics)One regret, I didn't invest in it sooner. Cannot recommend enough.Customers love it!read more
      Pulse Automotive
      Pulse Automotive
      00:55 19 Nov 19
      Best piece of workshop... equipment I have purchased. Fantastic team to deal with & great support.read more
      Nicholas Valassis
      Nicholas Valassis
      02:56 21 Sep 19
      Installation was easy with no... interruption to the business. A very powerful tool that is crucial to have these days with our complex braking systemsread more
      Ebbett Volkswagen
      Ebbett Volkswagen
      02:33 28 Aug 19
      Fantastic product, and great... after-sales support. The platetronic tester gives our customers security in knowing that their vehicles are being tested at a high level for brake imbalance, forces, and for steering geometry readings. Highly recommended.read more
      Andrew Gadea
      Andrew Gadea
      05:08 22 Aug 19
      Excellent service from Denise... and the team. Installation was great and the SafeTStop equipment is great for our business.read more
      Craig Baills
      Craig Baills
      01:47 18 Aug 19
      I did not realise the value... of Safe T Stop until we invested in one and had it installed. This piece of equipment would be number 1 as the most productive tool in the workshop as well as being accurate in its testing and diagnosis. Safe T Stop makes diagnosing and testing brakes and suspension easy and simplified with pin point accuracy. Highly recomend it for any workshop.read more
      DION CLAYTON
      DION CLAYTON
      09:35 12 Aug 19
      We at DRC AUTOMOTIVE had a... safetstop installed at our workshop and think it’s a great piece of equipment, every car that is serviced in our shop is driven over the safetstop to check and know it’s leaving with all brakes working as they should. We never realised how important this equipment is and what we have found when using it.Also the team at safetstop have always been great and would highly recommend to any other workshops Dion Clayton/ DRC Automotiveread more
      Peter Forrester
      Peter Forrester
      10:11 05 Jul 19
      PipeWolf Media
      PipeWolf Media
      05:40 03 Jun 19
      We had the pleasure of... filming a video for Safe-T-Stop and were so impressed by how well received their product is among their customers. The staff are so friendly and passionate about what they do. The Safe-T-Stop system really is amazing - we became instant fans.read more
      See All Reviews
      js_loader