## 1 Introduction  
The basic task of the braking system is to stop the vehicle, reduce its speed, and prevent the vehicle from rolling away when stationary [1]. Friction disc brakes are a common solution today due to the effectiveness of the braking process, low cost, and high reliability [2]. Despite the enormous progress in the development of the automotive industry, brake pads are commonly used actuators of braking systems [3]. Currently, vehicles are becoming heavier and faster, so their operational efficiency must increase [4]. The wear of pads used in real conditions is characterized by a number of non-linear, multi-dimensional factors [5]. When braking, the vehicle generates friction force in the actuator systems, which results in a reduction of its kinetic energy. The change in kinetic energy leads to an increase in thermal energy occurring mainly on brake discs and pads [6]. The mechanisms of wear and degradation of brake discs and pads have received considerable attention in the literature, highlighting the importance of the materials used in production. [PERSON] et al. [7] examined the effect of graphite particle size on the heating of brake discs. They observed that in composites, the use of small graphite particles compared to large particles improves the thermal properties of discs. The use of a copper-metal matrix for brake pads shows better tribological properties [8, 9]. New materials are also used. The authors of Ref. [10] used the newly developed DB-1 material and compared it to the materials currently used. In laboratory tests, they simulated the loads of high-speed trains. The new material has a very good coefficient of friction and is characterized by a lower wear rate due to the fine particles. There are publications in the literature regarding the use of natural material admixtures in effective braking systems. The authors [11] replaced synthetic fibers with hemp fibers. The use of natural hemp fibers reduced the specific wear rate while obtaining a consistent coefficient of friction for brake pads. The aspect of accumulating significant heat energy in the braking system can prove very dangerous and shorten the life of brake pads and discs. The overheating phenomenon can occur due to the design of brake discs or pads made of materials with low thermal conductivity. The paper [12] compared brake pads made from three asbestos-free composites. These composites contained different proportions of steel fibers 30, 35, and 41% and synthetic materials 11, 6, and 0%. The composite with 41% and 0% showed the best thermal stability and thermal conductivity. The effect of prolonged thermal loads on hardened steel causes a loss of mechanical properties [13]. As the authors point out, this is due to the material's susceptibility to tempering after heating. Improving the resistance to tempering is to increase the amount of such chemical elements as molybdenum and vanadium. Articles [14] describe the problem of overuse of the braking system, which is caused by an incorrect driving style. Prolonged use of the brake while driving downhill can cause this and contribute to complete pad wear [15]. This problem is particularly dangerous for trucks with trailers or semi-trailers [16]. As the authors point out [17] (p. 1) \"... when using the lowest-priced brake discs and brake pads, a substantial reduction in their efficiency can occur if braking intensively or over a long period\". Overheating of the brake system significantly reduces the friction coefficient of the brake pad against the brake disc. This forces an increase in braking force to achieve the same braking torque and results in accelerated wear [18; 19]. Corrosion of the braking system also adversely affects the vehicle's braking behavior. The primary corrosion factor is the composition of the brake pad and disc materials [20]. The formation of corrosion intensifies during frequent changes in humidity and temperature difference between the brake disc and pad, which promotes a reduction in the friction coefficient [21; 22].