ABS operates with precision to maintain vehicle control during hard braking. By preventing wheels from locking up, it ensures drivers can steer safely, even in emergencies.
How It Functions
- Monitoring: Wheel speed sensors track each wheel’s rotation speed continuously.
- Detection: The ABS control module identifies when a wheel is slowing too quickly, signaling imminent lock-up.
- Adjustment: Valves reduce brake pressure to the affected wheel, allowing it to regain traction.
- Restoration: The pump quickly restores pressure, and this cycle repeats—up to 15 times per second—until braking stabilizes.
Drivers often feel a pulsing in the brake pedal during ABS activation, a normal sign of the system at work.
Practical Example
On a rainy day, you brake suddenly to avoid a stopped car. Without ABS, the wheels might lock, causing a skid. With ABS, the system modulates pressure, letting you steer around the obstacle while slowing down.
ABS vs. Manual Braking
Historically, drivers pumped brakes manually to avoid lock-up. ABS outperforms this by adjusting pressure faster and more accurately, making it a superior safety tool.
Key Takeaway: ABS’s rapid, automated response keeps wheels turning and vehicles steerable during critical braking moments.