Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

What is Anti-lock Braking System?

ABS is one of the important safety measures of a car and is now included in almost all modern cars. It is a system that prevents a car’s wheels from locking up and skidding in case of sudden braking. Car companies have used it in cars since the 1970s. It helps the car to shorten its stopping distance by applying and releasing the brakes multiple times a second.

How it works?

In a car equipped with ABS each wheel has a sensor attached to it. The system is constantly checking the sensor reading and knows when the wheel is just about to lock up. It releases the brake for a split second and just then applies it again to the extent that the wheel just doesn’t lock. It keeps doing this until the car stops. When the system is active, the driver will feel a strong pulsing in the pressed brake pedal.

Why is it important?

• ABS decreases the braking distance of a car in slippery surfaces.
• It allows the driver to control or steer the car during the braking process, which is not possible with the normal system.
• It is much faster than a driver manually applying and releasing brakes. A driver can, at the very most, do it 2-3 times a second. While the ABS does it 10-15 times each second.
• It does not allow the wheels to skid and the car go out of control.

Why some people do not want it?

• The ABS increases the overall cost of a vehicle due to the equipment.
• Its braking distance is not consistent which will not increase a driver’s experience about his/her car.
• The system is much expensive to get repaired than the simple brakes.