Brake Assist: Notes
Brake assist has been added to the VSA system. Brake assist helps ensure that any driver can achieve the full braking potential of the vehicle by increasing brake system pressure in a panic situation, bringing the vehicle into a full ABS stop.
Each time the ignition switch is turned ON (II), the VSA modulator-control unit learns the current driver's normal braking characteristics by monitoring the brake pressure sensor and the brake pedal position switch at each stop. Using these inputs and their values, the VSA modulator-control unit is able to learn the driver's normal braking habits, and then determine the difference between a normal stop and a panic stop for the individual driver of the vehicle. If during a panic stop the VSA modulator-control unit determines that the brake system pressure increases above a learned threshold in less than a learned amount of time, the VSA modulator-control unit engages brake assist.
Because the brake system pressure crossed the threshold before the time threshold had expired, the VSA modulator-control unit goes into brake assist mode.