Clessie Cummins was granted a patent for the engine compression brake in 1965, and the first company to manufacture them was Jacobs Vehicle Systems.

The result is that even if the fuel supply to the cylinder is stopped, some energy absorbed during the compression stroke is still returned to the crankshaft.

[3] In contrast, a gasoline engine under deceleration runs with a closed throttle that prevents free flow of air into the cylinders, resulting in little pressure to release at the top of the compression stroke.

It is the driver's job to ascertain the correct transmission gear to use, depending on factors such as the steepness of the grade and the vehicle's load.

The use of engine compression brakes may cause a vehicle to make a loud "growling", "machine gun", or "jackhammer" like exhaust noise, especially vehicles having no mufflers, which has led many communities in the United States, Canada, and Australia to prohibit compression braking within municipal limits.