This SAE Recommended Practice establishes air quality standards for the pressurized air in the brake system of vehicles with air brakes.

Rationale—SAE J2457 was created in an effort to establish a standard for the amount of contamination an air supply system could sustain and still operate effectively. At the time the standard was established, efforts were being made by those outside of the industry to establish new regulations for the elimination of contamination from air brake systems. At that time, the Air Dryer Task Force was asked to establish a standard to address this issue and to assist regulators in responding to a NPRM that would have had the effect of requiring air dryers, something the OEM industry was not in favor of. The proposed rule was not adopted, and SAE J2457 may have assisted in preventing it. The Truck and Bus Brake Supply and Control and Components Subcommittee decided that SAE J2457 no longer provides value to the testing of air brake components or systems. In addition, if contaminated air is desired for testing the contaminants are described in SAE J2024.