New Mercedes Safety Feature Deflates Tires In An Emergency

It's a user-operated fallback braking device coupled with a valve that lowers tire pressure. In cases of emergency braking, the tires will go flat to help slow the car down if the braking system fails.

The system consists of a central control unit and an air pressure reduction unit connected to the vehicle's tires. These two systems activate when the actuating central brake unit fails or has a fault.

The patent description mentions that this braking system was designed with pure electric vehicles and hybrids in mind but can also be used in a traditional ICE car.