TRW Developing Anti-theft Electric Parking Brake

TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. is awaiting a decision by the Economic Commision for Europe to determine whether it can move ahead with plans to offer its electric parking-brake technology as an automotive anti-theft system.

Electric parking brakes, commonly found on European vehicles equipped with manual transmissions, eliminate the need for hand levers or foot pedals associated with traditional parking brakes.

Vince Austin, TRW product planning director-global braking systems, says work already is under way on a security application for its electric-brake technology.

“Customers are looking very strongly at this for the 2011-2012 timeframe,” he says. For the technology to qualify as an anti-theft device in Europe, Austin says TRW had to change the electrical architecture to ensure a car thief can't just apply 12 volts to the caliper to release the brakes and drive away.

Whether TRW can proceed depends on the ECE's decision, which is due in March. Austin says he is not aware of any such discussions in North America to date.

If TRW is able to offer its system as an antitheft device, it has the potential to save OEM customers money and reduce weight.