Skip to main content

Bosch wants to put the brakes on a form of auto emissions with its new iDisc

Bosch
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Carbon dioxide is often demonized, but cars emit other types of pollution that rarely get addressed. Bosch points out that brakes and tires are responsible for 32 percent of all driving-related particulate emissions, so it developed a next-generation brake disc in a bid to help make every part of the car cleaner. Named iDisc, it’s boldly presented as the brake disc 2.0.

Bosch subsidiary Buderus Guss designed the iDisc. It was engineered to generate up to 90 percent less dust than a conventional brake disc, which helps make the air cleaner. Its effect is all the more noticeable in big cities because cars in crowded urban areas spend almost as much time braking as they do accelerating. It also reduces water pollution in cities like Seattle, where stormwater ultimately drains into nature.

Bosch says the iDisc starts life as a standard brake disc made with cast iron. It’s then treated and coated with a shiny chemical compound called tungsten carbide, a material that’s used to make drill bits and armor-piercing ammunition, among other products. It sounds simple when you read about it, but it’s a solution that took years of testing to develop.

“The iDisc has everything it takes to replace the conventional cast iron brake disc and become the new standard in the brake disc market. Given the continued particulate pollution debate in many countries and large cities around the world, there is nothing standing in the way of its breakthrough,” said Gerhard Pfeifer, the managing director of Buderus Guss.

Bosch iDisc film

Braking performance is comparable to conventional cast iron discs, according to Bosch, but the iDisc never rusts and lasts significantly longer. There’s also an aesthetic benefit to coating a brake disc with tungsten carbide — rims and hubcaps stay cleaner for longer because they are subjected to less dust.

Bosch will begin iDisc production before the end of the month. The first production car equipped with the technology is the brand-new 2019 Porsche Cayenne. The iDisc remains roughly three times more expensive than a conventional brake disc, but the technology will trickle down to less expensive models as it becomes more affordable. It’s not the most expensive way to bring a few thousand pounds on wheel to a stop — the carbon ceramic brakes available in many luxury and sports cars are three times more expensive than the iDisc.

Editors' Recommendations

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
There’s a huge Black Friday sale on Thule roof cargo boxes
thule rooftop cargo boxes deals amazon november 2023 box on car

It's almost winter, which means snowy day trips and skiing, and if you pack your whole family inside one vehicle, it can be difficult to get the rest of your critical belongings (such as bikes and kayaks) to your destination. In theory, you could buy a larger car. Many families get a minivan for the explicit purpose of relieving this kind of pressure. But that's pretty extreme when you could simply expand the storage space of your current car. And with Black Friday sales like this one, putting dozens of Thule rooftop cargo boxes on big discounts, now is a good time to consider doing so. We're seeing deals were you could save $100 (or even more) or Thule rooftop cargo boxes and accessories. Just tap the button below to access the curated collection, then keep reading for our take in how to shop the sale.

Why you should shop the Thule rooftop cargo box sale
One of the first things we want you to know before you shop the Thule collection is some features that aren't immediately apparent just by looking at the cargo boxes. For example, you may be highly concerned about driving off and having your belongings (including embarrassing items like underwear) go everywhere because the box flies open. Thule boxes, however, typically snap shut with an audible click. You know your items are secure. Alternatively, items like their

Read more
Honda recalls more than 300,000 vehicles over seat belt safety issue
2015 Honda Accord Sport

Honda has recalled more than 300,000 of its 2023-2024 HR-Vs and Accords over a safety issue, according to a document posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The issue concerns a missing seat belt part, which means that in the event of a crash, the belt “will not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury,” the NHTSA said.

Read more
How to watch Tesla’s Cybertruck delivery event today
Tesla's Cybertruck.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck. Tesla

It’s been a long time coming, but Tesla is about to deliver the Cybertruck to its first customers.

Read more