Even as car manufacturers strive to make their engines more powerful and fuel-efficient, they have also devoted enormous resources to making their vehicles safer. Popular review sources consider driver safety a priority. Those vehicles which include the latest technology to safeguard drivers, their passengers, and other motorists often score well. One of the areas in which automakers are developing more robust safety systems is with traction control (TC).
In this article, we'll take a closer look at this safety feature. I'll explain what it is and how multiple automotive technologies work together to keep drivers and passengers safe.
Maintaining Friction On The Road
Traction refers to the friction between your car's tires and the road. When you accelerate, whether from a complete stop or to pass another car, your wheels maintain contact with the surface of the road. That is how you can control your vehicle during acceleration. Any elements - rain, snow, ice, etc. - that come between your tires and the road reduces the level of contact. As a result, the amount of control you have drops and a traffic accident becomes more likely.
The manner in which your TC system prevents your wheels from spinning during acceleration is based upon throttle control and brake application. To explain, suppose you have stopped at a traffic signal. The signal turns green and you step hard on your gas pedal. Your tires begin to spin as they lose contact with the surface of the road. Your TC system will identify the slip and limit the throttle while applying the brakes to the drive wheels. In doing so, your tires will regain contact.
Multiple Technologies And How They Work
Your vehicle's traction control system also encompasses your anti-lock brakes and stability control. While the TC provides friction as you accelerate, your anti-lock brakes provide friction as you slow down. Both systems perform the same job based upon the same fundamentals. Sensors monitor the slippage and modify the level of braking force that is applied to the drive wheels.
Electronic stability control (ESC) works on the same basic principles as the TC and anti-lock brakes, but adds a number of sensors to compensate for understeer and oversteer. If the sensors identify skidding, braking power is applied to the outer wheel to prevent oversteer, or inner wheel to prevent understeer. In many cars, ESC can also reduce engine power in order to compensate.
Better Grip And Safety
Maintaining a high level of contact and friction between your vehicle's tires and the road beneath them helps to ensure that you and your passengers remain safe while driving. For their part, car manufacturers continue to develop advanced technologies to further improve driver safety. By increasing the grip of your tires on the road, they can help prevent unnecessary traffic accidents. - 29952
In this article, we'll take a closer look at this safety feature. I'll explain what it is and how multiple automotive technologies work together to keep drivers and passengers safe.
Maintaining Friction On The Road
Traction refers to the friction between your car's tires and the road. When you accelerate, whether from a complete stop or to pass another car, your wheels maintain contact with the surface of the road. That is how you can control your vehicle during acceleration. Any elements - rain, snow, ice, etc. - that come between your tires and the road reduces the level of contact. As a result, the amount of control you have drops and a traffic accident becomes more likely.
The manner in which your TC system prevents your wheels from spinning during acceleration is based upon throttle control and brake application. To explain, suppose you have stopped at a traffic signal. The signal turns green and you step hard on your gas pedal. Your tires begin to spin as they lose contact with the surface of the road. Your TC system will identify the slip and limit the throttle while applying the brakes to the drive wheels. In doing so, your tires will regain contact.
Multiple Technologies And How They Work
Your vehicle's traction control system also encompasses your anti-lock brakes and stability control. While the TC provides friction as you accelerate, your anti-lock brakes provide friction as you slow down. Both systems perform the same job based upon the same fundamentals. Sensors monitor the slippage and modify the level of braking force that is applied to the drive wheels.
Electronic stability control (ESC) works on the same basic principles as the TC and anti-lock brakes, but adds a number of sensors to compensate for understeer and oversteer. If the sensors identify skidding, braking power is applied to the outer wheel to prevent oversteer, or inner wheel to prevent understeer. In many cars, ESC can also reduce engine power in order to compensate.
Better Grip And Safety
Maintaining a high level of contact and friction between your vehicle's tires and the road beneath them helps to ensure that you and your passengers remain safe while driving. For their part, car manufacturers continue to develop advanced technologies to further improve driver safety. By increasing the grip of your tires on the road, they can help prevent unnecessary traffic accidents. - 29952
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