Method and system for treating the surface of a vehicle

A method for treating the surface of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a rotating treatment brush for treating the vehicle surface, the treatment brush comprising treatment elements, surfaces of which are brought into frictional contact with the vehicle surface during treatment;
• performing a reference measurement in which the treatment brush is set in rotation and moved into a defined position relative to a reference element so that the surfaces of the treatment elements are brought into frictional contact with a surface of the reference element and, at the same time, a value of frictional force is measured directly or indirectly, and
• regulating the treatment brush during the treatment of the vehicle surface based on the value of the frictional force measured during the reference measurement.

A system for treating a surface of a vehicle with a treatment brush pivotally mounted about a rotary shaft, the treatment brush comprising a motor connected to the rotary shaft and treatment elements for frictional contact with the vehicle surface, the system further comprising

• a reference element for carrying out a reference measurement and
• a control unit coupled to the motor for carrying out the reference measurement, the treatment brush rotatable and moveable into a defined position relative to the reference element so that surfaces of the treatment elements are brought into frictional contact with the surface of the reference element and, at the same time, a value of the frictional force is measured directly or indirectly,
• wherein the treatment brush during the treatment of the vehicle surface is regulated by the control unit based on the value of the frictional force measured during the reference measurement.