Smartronics is an advanced vehicle control system. This active system integrates both vehicle braking and suspension systems to improve vehicle dynamics thereby increasing road safety and comfort. It includes an advanced intelligent braking system (Sensotronic Braking System) and a smart suspension (Active Body Control).

Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) is an innovative electronically controlled brake system. SBC have moved a considerable way closer to the realization of automatically piloting cars of the future along the roads with the aid of video cameras, proximity radar and advanced Telematics. Electric impulses are used to pass the driver’s braking commands onto a microcomputer which processes various sensor signals simultaneously and, depending on the particular driving situation, calculates the optimum brake pressure for each wheel. As a result, SBC offers even greater active safety than conventional brake systems when braking in a corner or on a slippery surface. A high-pressure reservoir and electronically controllable valves ensure that maximum brake pressure is available much sooner. Moreover, the system offers innovative additional functions to reduce the driver’s workload. Automobile functions which work purely mechanically and partly with hydraulic assistance are now controlled by high-performance microcomputers and electronically controllable actuators.

Active Body Control (ABC), an active suspension system, resolves the traditional conflict between active safety, responsive handling and ride comfort and is thus an important landmark in passenger car design. Using high-pressure hydraulic servos, an ingenious sensor system and high-performance microprocessors, ABC adapts the suspension and damping to different driving situations. The computer-controlled hydraulic servos mounted in the spring struts between the coil springs and the body develops additional forces which act on the suspension and damping to control body motion. ABC is designed to control body vibrations in the frequency range up to 5 Hz - the kind of vibrations typically caused by uneven road surfaces or by braking and cornering. To control the higher-frequency wheel vibrations, passive gas-pressure shock absorbers and coil springs are used, which can be tuned for high ride quality. ABC virtually eliminates body movements when moving off from rest, when cornering and when braking. Cornering roll on cars equipped with ABC is significantly reduced and there are also safety advantages in high-speed evasive manoeuvres compared with cars with conventional suspension systems. A press of a button on the centre console allows drivers to choose between comfortable or sporty suspension settings