Anti-lock Braking System Ensures Your Safety
Choosing a new vehicle, safety is often at top of the list. Driving can be dangerous, so make sure that your vehicle packed full of safety features is one of the best lines of defense in case of an accident.An ABS system consists of the following components:
1. Wheel speed sensors
2. Brake calipers
3. A hydraulic motor
4. Pressure release valves
5. Quick thinking computer (or control module) which coordinates the whole process
What is Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)?
In short, ABS helps to keep the driver in control of the vehicle when applying the brakes suddenly.
Sometimes, hard braking can case the vehicle to spin, skid or lose traction on the road, leaving the driver with little control and potentially causing an extremely dangerous situation.
To counteract this possibility, ABS allow the driver to slow down quickly without skidding, while still allowing steering capabilities.
How does ABS actually work?
ABS is an electronic system that monitors and controls wheel speed during braking. The system works with standard air brake systems.
Vehicles with ABS installed have wheel sensors which continually send information to the electronic control unit within the vehicles, which allows it to detect “impending lockup of the wheels”.
If trouble strikes, the system will send signals to the hydraulic modulator and automatically apply and release the brakes. This can occur up to 15 times per second, and does not take into account how hard the driver is braking. This systematic braking approach prevents wheel lock up and allows the driver to continue steering the vehicle.
The system will continue to work until brake pressure is released, or the conditions causing the wheel locking are over.
Although the best way to prevent wheel locking is to avoid heavy braking, changing conditions on the road means this isn't always possible. Thus, ABS is a great safety feature to look for when buying a new vehicle.