Foldable brake pedal apparatus for autonomous vehicles

A foldable brake pedal apparatus for autonomous vehicles, the foldable brake pedal apparatus comprising:

• a pedal housing fixedly installed in a lower space of a seat of a driver;
• a high-load spring module located in the pedal housing, and configured to be moved linearly relative to the pedal housing and to generate a stepping force;
• a pedal pad coupled to a first end of the high-load spring module, and configured to:
• be manipulated by a foot of the driver,
• move together with the high-load spring module when the high-load spring module moves linearly, and
• switch between a hidden state and a pop-up state;
• an actuator fixedly installed at a side of the high-load spring module in the pedal housing, and configured to generate power and to linearly move the high-load spring module;
• and
• a rotary lever configured to interconnect the high-load spring module and the actuator and transmit power from the actuator to the high-load spring module,
• wherein in the hidden state, the pedal pad is inserted into the pedal housing, and
• in the pop-up state, the pedal pad protrudes from the pedal housing.