The brake pedal bracket of the Zunjie V800 model fractured during standard testing, with the failure replicated twice in identical scenarios. Zunjie stated that its braking system development and validation process adhered to standards exceeding the national GB 21670-2025, GB 7258-2026, and industry standard QC/T 788-2018 requirements.
Industry standards for brake pedal mechanical strength typically recommend withstanding 1500 N, while internal requirements at major automakers often exceed 3000 N. During the reported test, the Zunjie V800 pedal bracket fractured at a sensor reading of 1612 N. Experts note that human emergency braking can generate forces between 1800 N and 2000 N.
Engineers suggest that the failure may stem from insufficient design redundancy in the plastic bracket structure, particularly regarding dynamic load characteristics. While fiber-reinforced polypropylene is common for weight reduction, experts emphasize that design must account for material performance fluctuations and impact loads, which differ significantly from static testing.
The automotive development cycle has shortened significantly, with new vehicle projects often taking less than two years compared to 4-5 years a decade ago. This acceleration, combined with cost-cutting pressures and complex manufacturing processes like injection molding, introduces uncertainties that can impact component reliability if validation is not sufficiently rigorous.
Experts highlight that identifying the root cause requires physical examination of the fractured samples, as failures can result from a combination of design, material, manufacturing, and assembly factors. Currently, there is no unified industry standard for evaluating non-metallic brake pedal brackets, leading to reliance on internal supplier reports and simulation data.
