Brembo unveils world's first hydraulic-free brakes meaning brake fluid could be gone for good
Published on May 28, 2026 at 3:35 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on May 28, 2026 at 3:35 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Ben Thompson
Brake fluid could soon be a thing of the past, now that Brembo has unveiled the world’s first hydraulic-free brakes.
Since the 1920s, brake fluid has been part and parcel of the driving experience.
But now Brembo’s brake-by-wire system is set to throw all of that in the dustbin of history.
When you see the numbers, you’ll be left in little doubt – this is a turning point.
Up until now, brake fluid has been the norm
Brake fluid has been the status quo for so long that it’s almost hard to imagine cars without it.
But how does it work exactly?
When you push down on the brake pedal, which in turn pushes a piston inside the master cylinder – the reservoir underneath your hood that is filled with brake fluid.
The piston forces the brake fluid through a network of tight lines and rubber hoses leading to each wheel of the car.
When they get to the wheels, the fluid forces a set of pistons forward.
This second set of pistons push the brake pads against the spinning brake rotors, the resulting friction of which slows the wheels down.
Brakes aren’t infallible in course, as we’ve seen before – even Jay Leno has had close calls with his brakes.
But up until now, this has been the braking set-up we’ve become accustomed to.
That’s where Brembo comes into the picture.
Brembo looks set to change how things are done with these hydraulic-free brakes
The Italian automotive parts manufacturer has unveiled its Sensify brake-by-wire system.
The numbers speak for themself.
With traditional hydraulic brakes, it takes between 300 and 500 milliseconds to fully engage.
That’s still mighty impressive, but the Sensify does one better – 80 milliseconds.
“Sensify represents the most significant evolution in braking technology since the introduction of ABS,” Brembo CEO Daniele Schillaci said back in 2023.
So how exactly does it work?
Well, every hydraulic component is replaced with an electronic alternative.
Rather than fluid pushing pistons, electric motors directly activate the brake calipers.
The software monitors the pedal pressure, wheel speed, and vehicle dynamics, so each wheel knows how much braking force to apply.
Lucid Motors have reportedly signed up as one of the first customers, with the Air Dream Edition set to be the ‘testing ground’ for the technology.
Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
