What is the safety risk if a vehicle is equipped with an electric parking brake system and the vehicle's battery fails?

The primary safety risk if a vehicle is equipped with an electric parking brake system and the vehicle's battery fails is the inability to engage or disengage the parking brake, potentially leading to unintended vehicle movement. Electric parking brake systems rely on an electric motor to apply and release the parking brake. If the battery is completely dead, the electric motor will not function, preventing the parking brake from being applied or released. If the parking brake was engaged when the battery failed, the vehicle may be immobilized. If the parking brake was not engaged, the vehicle could roll if parked on an incline, creating a serious safety hazard. While some electric parking brake systems have a manual release mechanism, its location and operation may not be immediately obvious to the driver in an emergency. A dead battery eliminates the normal electronic control of the parking brake, increasing the risk of uncontrolled vehicle movement.