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In regard to disc brakes, it can be advantageous to indicate the wear of the pads by means of a warning device. Such a warning device should fulfill a series of requirements, which will be explained individually. All systems which are known are classified according to the type of working sequence, are described, evaluated and compared. In the Volkswagenwerk the comparison favoured a newly developed system with which the wear of the pads is perceptively perceived and which is designated as the “tactile” indicator. When the wear limit is reached, a wear resistant segment at the pad then contacts a lug which is on the disc and is approximately the same size as the segment. This contact produces a perceptible knock at the brake pedal. The oscillations, which arise, produce inertia forces which are calculated. Furthermore, the wear resistance of the pad segment and the possible effects of the oscillation on the braking ability of the vehicle are calculated.

Anti-skid brake systems (ABS), as offered in German cars, have attained a high technical standard, but make up between 5 and 10 % of the price of the vehicle for the customer. Investigations are therefore being made to establish whether it is possible to have an ABS concept with a simpler, more reasonably priced design, which would nevertheless provide effective vehicle braking controlling. To this end, on the basis of the Audi 100 system, a cost/benefit analysis is made for several systems, which feature a smaller number of control channels and other components. One of the systems is a completely new concept not as yet published in the relevant literature. This particular system works similar to an amplifier and diagonal control and is referred to as “multiple amplifier control”. This control system ensures that the vehicle keeps a high degree of directional stability and steerability and good deceleration under various driving and braking conditions.