industry news
Minibus taxis in SA to set the
trend in brake pad safety and
sustainability
South Africa’s minibus taxi industry can improve its poor safety reputation, while lowering the country’s road
accident rates, by making use of purpose-designed brakes launched locally by global powertrain and vehicle
safety technology leader Federal-Mogul.
T
he latest innovation to take place
on a local level is the introduction
of the company’s line of copperfree Ferodo Taxi brake pads, which
are designed specifically for Toyota
Quantum minibus taxis that transport
millions of commuters across South
Africa on a daily basis.
Federal-Mogul brand manager
Alfred Adriaan reveals that the
company made the decision to officially
launch the Ferodo Taxi brake pads in
October 2013, after discovering the
dangerously poor condition of a number
of brake systems in Quantum minibus
taxis, during extensive field testing
across the country.
“Our findings revealed that most
braking systems on these vehicles were
in substandard condition, which is a
danger to everybody on the road. A large
number of brake lines were found to be
pinched, and this runs the serious risk
of the line tearing apart and the entire
system failing.
Other major issues included an absence
of brake fluid and no service history on
the brake system,” he says.
Adriaan explains that the Ferodo
Taxi brake pads have been fitted to
numerous volunteer Quantum minibus
vehicles with overwhelmingly positive
results.
The Ferodo Taxi pads
have improved brake pad
and disc wear, which
tra nslates into less time
off the road for taxi
drivers, while improving on
the braking performance
itself.
| words in action
Federal-Mogul technical adviser
Bertie Steyn indicates that industry
standard heavy metals in the taxi
brake pads have been replaced with a
specially formulated solvent to lower the
wear rate on the brake pads and discs.
“The formulation of an effective solvent
was a highly challenging and complex
task, however, dedicated hours of
research and development resulted in
the production of a new component that
not only improves safety by lowering
friction, but is environmentally friendly
too.”
By replacing heavy metals with the
solvent, Steyn indicates that the Ferodo
Taxi pads eliminate emissions of copper
and other particles into the environment,
while providing better braking and
a smoother, quieter performance.
“Although copper is an effective ductile
component, it is a major pollutant, as
it cannot be recovered once the brake
pads have reached their operational
lifespan.”
By adopting the copper-free Ferodo
Taxi brake pads to their Quantum
fleets, Adriaan highlights the fact that
taxi owners in South Africa have the
opportunity to place themselves ahead
of increasingly stringent environmental
legislation, while improving their
reputation for road safety. “With this
in mind, I believe that the Ferodo Taxi
brake pad will remain the taxi pad
of choice. Federal-Mogul places a
strong emphasis on safety and
environmental sustainability,
and plans to introduce similar
products for all types of
vehicles in South Africa in
the near future.”
54
april 2014