What is ABS?
Even if you have been driving for many years, you may have found yourself at one point having to hit the brakes a little harder than usual. ABS is an abbreviation of Advanced Braking System. It prevents your wheels from locking up and maintains grip on the road.
ABS allows maximum braking effort whilst also allowing the wheels to keep turning, this makes it possible to steer the car away from other cars and obstacles.
Fun Fact: In the 1950’s, ABS was first introduced as an Anti-skid system for aircraft use!
When the wheels of a car lock-up, the vehicle tends to start skidding thereby not actually stopping fast enough. This makes it almost impossible to make the car change direction, to avoid a collision.
So, how does it work?
Each wheel has a sensor attached. The sensors will detect if a wheel is about to lock and stop moving because of this, the system will release the brake for a short moment. ABS will apply braking pressure to make sure the wheels brake without locking up, this helps the driver remain in control of the vehicle.
Cars that have ABS fitted are less likely to be involved in an accident and it decreases the likelihood of a collision on wet roads.
