This has to due with current technology, it has nothing to due with the underlying physical processes. Some of these technological limitations involve the air brakes themselves, axles and tires are also a limiting factor however. The designed in limitations of the basic braking system may be actionable, this is a complicated question. Most air brake systems do not automatically adjust for wear, so unless they are well maintained brake performance can deteriorate seriously. Roadside truck inspections frequently reveal that a fairly high percentage of the inspected vehicles have defective braking systems, generally because of air leaks or poor adjustments.
Leaks are a service or maintenance problem.
Poor adjustment can be a service problem or a reflection of the manufacturer's failure to provide the available automatic slack adjusters.