News

May 15, 2023

Electronic braking performance monitoring system (EBPMS): industry standard specification

Updated 12 May 2023 © Crown copyright 2023 This publication is licensed

Updated 12 May 2023

© Crown copyright 2023

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected].

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electronic-braking-performance-monitoring-systems/electronic-braking-performance-monitoring-system-ebpms-industry-standard-specification

Vehicle operators and drivers have a legal obligation to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy at all times when operating on public highways. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) produces the Guide to maintaining roadworthiness. It outlines best practice for the maintenance of commercial vehicles, including a recommended preventative inspection regime for commercial vehicle brakes on vehicles and trailers.

The guide states that "It is strongly advised that a calibrated roller brake tester (RBT) is used at each safety inspection" and "Where possible brake testing should be undertaken with the vehicle or trailer in a laden condition".

The specification defined within this document describes a system that overcomes many of the difficulties and limitations of the current service brake guidance in Great Britain.

Confirmation of the capability an electronic brake performance monitoring system (EBPMS) can detect an underperforming braking system shall be established against the requirements defined within this specification by a competent person or body.

In providing a system defined within this document as an EBPMS, it is recommended that appropriate elements should, where possible, employ at least the same, similar or equivalent methodologies as those described in ISO 21069.

The requirements specified within this document have been developed based on existing known technologies. It may be necessary to review the content to take into consideration further developments or in the light of experience gained.

For the purposes of this specification, the following definitions shall apply.

This is a system that enables the braking performance of a commercial vehicle to be monitored and recorded during everyday operation under a variety of operating conditions. EBPMS autonomously collects braking event data during every braking event and analyses the data over time to produce a braking performance value.

This is a period of time during which the service braking system generates a retarding force in response to a driver demand and ends when the driver demand is reduced or a minimum speed has been reached.

This is a series of readings taken before, during or after a braking event including but not limited to change in vehicle speed, demand pressure, axle/bogie Load, time/date stamp and road gradient/angle.

This is a value, based upon continuous sampling of data whilst the vehicle is in operation, indicative of the service braking performance of the vehicle and expressed as a braking rate relative to the maximum static axle/bogie load for a given demand pressure.

This is the pressure related to the level of service braking required by a driver actuating the braking system. In the case of a pneumatically braked trailer this is the signal transmitted to the coupling head either electronically or pneumatically.

This is the vertical static reaction (force) of the road surface in the contact area on the wheels of the axles derived from suspension characteristics.

This is the time and date associated with at least the braking event data.

This is the angle of the road relative to horizontal in the direction of travel.

This is a report which shall include:

The braking performance report shall also indicate if the data does not enable a valid braking performance value to be produced.

This is the probability that a braking performance value will fall between an upper and lower bound of the confidence interval. For example, the braking performance value has a 95% probability of encompassing the actual braking performance.

This is the maximum expected difference (within the confidence interval) between the braking performance of the vehicle and the reported braking performance value. It can be considered the margin of error is half the width of the confidence interval and thus there is a probability of 95% that the vehicle's braking performance is within the margin of error.

This is the person legally responsible for the operation of the vehicle, as defined by operator licensing.

An electronic braking performance monitoring system shall provide a braking performance value for a given time period using braking event data and a plurality of braking events.

The braking performance value shall be derived using a repeatable algorithm and the results shall:

The braking performance value shall not:

The electronic braking performance monitoring system shall include the following functionality:

Any change to the electronic braking performance monitoring system that impacts on the performance of the system relative to this specification shall be declared.

To gain acceptance of the electronic braking performance monitoring system, an information document shall be made available which will include at least the following.

The document will include:

The document will include:

The manufacturer shall define what measures have been taken to ensure the electronic braking performance monitoring system is compatible with the environment to which it will be subject during normal operation of the vehicle.

The information document shall include confirmation of the capability an EBPMS can detect an underperforming braking system in compliance with the requirements defined within this specification by a competent person or body. It must identifying the testing organisation and the capability of the system.

It is expected that by December 2025 all new installations will identify individual underperforming brakes in addition to the overall braking performance of the vehicle or trailer.