Electronic stability enhancement and maneuverability

Depends on the implementation, and how many wheels are sensed and independently controlled. Say all wheels are sensed but all brakes are controlled together. Now, lets say one wheel is on ice or slippery spot. Controller will limit braking to that required to keep THAT wheel from locking, so retarding g-force is limited to capability of wheel on most slippery surface.

Only if all wheels are sensed, and all controlled individually, can ABS be better than non-abs as far as max retarding force. Otherwise, you are limiting max braking force.

In comparison to the non ABS braking system which has no independent wheel sensing and control. Furthermore the non ABS brakee system is severely limited by a slow acting controller that relies on the directional slide method of determining when to pump and on a good day might be able to pump the brakes on all wheels once a second.

See

That's easy man.

ABS allows you to steer out of trouble by increasing the stopping distance by pulsing the brakes off so you can still steer. This is a big 'compromise'.

This is all fine and great until there is no place to steer to, then you just hit whatever it is in the way.

It is deadly off road on dirt roads because it won't allow the wheels to lock so the poor suckers with ABS just keep going and going and bang! that tree wins every freaking time.

They then can pull the fuses or relays on the ABS and attempt the same trail at the same speeds and miss that tree 'every' time.

Been there, done that, watched that, on too many occasions.

Mike

See

ABS increases the stopping distance over non-ABS brakes - hah - old wives tale unless you are driving too fast on gravel!!!

If there is no place to steer to you are in trouble whether with ABS or non-ABS brakes.

Sounds to me like the driver in your one example is driving foolishly to begin with. Way to fast for conditions.

Nope, there are no benefits in real world use according to the IIHS:

Huh?

stability systems may reduce

Systems I've seen sketched out relied on a gyroscope positioned between the two front seats to sense when the vehicle was getting our of sorts with itself.

By forcing the installation of ESC, the Feds have also mandated ABS. They never could prove ABS was worthwhile, so they weren't able to mandate its installation, but by making ESC mandatory, they are finally forcing us all to waste money on ABS. And this time they didn't make the mistake of carefully studying the issue. They just made some half assed claimed and made it mandatory.

BTW, there are numerous tests that show ABS increasing stopping distances on snow.

Ed

I live in Canada, where I've been stuck disabling DRLs on my cars for 17 years now.

ABS may increase stopping distances but it also means you can STEER around the other object. It can't change the laws of physics, but I definitely prefer it in Winnipeg in the winter.

Mandatory tire pressure monitoring systems are coming too. Lame. It's no wonder every new car weighs 200 pounds more than last year's model...

Ray

Yes, it is just one grand conspiracy after another isn't it. You don't suppose the head of DOT owns an automotive subcontracting company do you? If the Feds aren't conspiring with OPEC and oil companies to keep gasoline prices high they are colluding with car manufacturers to keep adding pointless safety and emission features to cars. We started with seat belts and crankcase emission controls and it's been downhill ever since. There's just no reason for any of that stuff to be added other than to cause you to pay more for your car, now is there?

Never noticed anything like that with SUVs, but there's absolutely no question that Volvo drivers, as a group, are the WORST drivers on the road.

But that "slow" (organic) controller can threshold brake far better than ABS.

John S. wrote: >

The DOT has blown it before. Look up the Seat Belt interlock system of the early 70's. Good idea in theory, bad idea in practice. If you had a bag of groceries in the front seat, the car wouldn't start unless you had the passenger belt buckled.

(I'm in favor of seatbelts, not stupid mandatory crap.)

All this safety stuff isn't cheap, and it weighs more than nothing. You don't get something for free with ABS, side door beams, safety glass, radial tires, etc. they're all good, but all have downsides.

Ray

But is the gyro measuring angle or angular rate? Gyros can do either.