From tailpipe to brake: The new frontier in emission control

Euro 7 sets the stage for tackling brake emissions, prompting advancements in braking technology and materials across the automotive industry.

Over the past 30 years, automakers in the European Union region have succeeded in reducing the emissions of harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOX), and particulate matter (PM) from new vehicles, thanks to increasingly stringent emission standards implemented by the European Commission. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), vehicular emissions have decreased by 90% between the Euro 1 and Euro 6 emission standards. As emissions from vehicles' exhaust systems come under control, regulators in the EU are shifting their focus to curb emissions from non-exhaust sources, such as brakes and tire wear, which are projected to become the dominant contributor to PM pollution by 2030.