Electronic parking brake: how to use it correctly for your driving test
EPB, hill-start steps and parking: what you need to know about the electronic parking brake for lessons and your practical test.
Editorial AZUL Auto-École®
More and more modern cars are dropping the traditional handbrake lever in favour of a single button: the electronic parking brake, or EPB (Electronic Parking Brake). If you are starting driving lessons in Switzerland, you have almost certainly seen one without really knowing how to use it. No worries — that is exactly why you are reading this article.
What is the electronic parking brake (EPB)?
The electronic parking brake is a parking brake system operated by a button or small dial, usually to the right of the gear lever or on the centre console. It replaces the mechanical lever you pull up in older cars.
When you press the button, an electric motor clamps the rear brake callipers automatically. The result: the car is held still without any effort on your part. Some vehicles also have an Auto Hold function that keeps the brake applied as soon as you come to a complete stop — very useful in town or in traffic jams.
The EPB is now fitted to most recent models: Volkswagen Golf, Renault Clio, Peugeot 308, and many other cars you will find at your driving school in Fribourg.
Hill starts with the electronic parking brake
Hill starts are the manoeuvre that worries learners most — especially in Fribourg, where steep streets are common. With the EPB, the procedure is straightforward, as long as you practise it in the right order.
Steps for a successful hill start with the EPB
- Press the foot brake and make sure the EPB is engaged — the corresponding warning light comes on in the instrument cluster.
- Select first gear.
- Bring up the clutch smoothly to the biting point — you will feel the car begin to move slightly.
- Press the accelerator at the same time to hold engine speed (around 1,500 to 2,000 rpm).
- Release the EPB button: the brake releases automatically and the car moves off without rolling back.
- Ease the clutch up fully while keeping the accelerator applied.
On vehicles with Auto Hold, the EPB can release automatically once you reach the biting point — the manoeuvre feels even smoother.
The key point: never release the EPB before you have reached the biting point. That is the most common beginner mistake, and it makes the vehicle roll back.
Parking and emergency use
To hold the car, simply press the EPB button once you have stopped completely. The system confirms activation with a warning light on the dashboard.
Before leaving the vehicle, always check that this light is on before switching off the engine. In Switzerland, leaving a vehicle without the parking brake applied is a traffic offence.
The EPB can also be used in an emergency if the brake pedal fails: hold the button to build braking progressively. Note that this may disable ABS on some models — emergency use remains a last resort.
Will the electronic parking brake be tested in the practical exam?
Yes. The examiner may ask you to perform a hill start and will observe how you use the EPB if the car is fitted with one. Hesitation at the move-off or a slight roll-back can be noted on your assessment sheet.
In Switzerland, the category B practical test includes real-world manoeuvres. Fribourg's roads, with their hills and sloping junctions, are exactly the kind of environment where correct EPB use makes a difference.
The good news: once you have learned the technique in your lessons, hill starts with the EPB become second nature — it only takes a few repetitions.
At AZUL, modern cars prepare you for real driving
At AZUL Driving School in Fribourg, our cars have current technology — including the electronic parking brake. You will not discover the EPB for the first time on test day: you will already have practised it in real conditions with your instructor.
That is one benefit of learning with a qualified, supportive instructor: every technical detail is explained and repeated until it feels natural. Before you book lessons, you can also read our guide on Swiss driving licence categories to plan your full journey.
Book a lesson with AZUL Driving School
Want to practise hill starts with the EPB in a professional setting in Fribourg? Book your lesson online — available 7 days a week, no waiting list.
AZUL AUTO-ÉCOLE® Sàrl · Rue du Simplon 11, 1700 Fribourg · Certified instructors · Lessons in French, German and English
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