Traditional Handbrakes May Soon Disappear

In a few more years, prepare to say goodbye to one automotive feature: mechanical handbrakes. Research by U.K.-based automotive shopping site CarGurus reports that more and more carmakers are ditching them in favor of electronic parking brakes or EPBs.

In CarGurus’s research, they found that just 24 percent of new cars sold in the U.K. come with a manually-operated handbrake, a reduction of 6 percent from 2019.

Models such as the BMW 1 Series and 3 Series, Peugeot 208, and the Nissan Juke have all dropped the classic manual handbrake over the last year. Majority of car brands offer the technology only on sportier cars such as the Mazda MX-5 and BMW M2.

While traditionalists would argue that the electronic parking brake removes the tactile feel, mechanical simplicity, and interactivity of the classic handbrake, they are still considered a luxury convenience and safety feature by many, requiring less physical effort to hold the car more securely without the need for any adjustments.

Most electronic handbrakes disengage automatically when you pull away, plus they often offer an automatic hill-hold assist function as an additional safety benefit. From a design perspective, the switch helps de-clutter cabins too, taking up less interior space than a chunky lever.

Source: Car Guides PH