What is the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) in a car?
ABS is an active anti-lock braking system that is commonly found in most modern cars.
This is a proactive safety system designed to reduce speed, stop, and park the vehicle when necessary.
Accordingly, when a car brakes suddenly on a slippery road, wheel lock-up is likely to occur, potentially causing the wheels to skid along the road, posing a danger to the occupants. The anti-lock braking system (ABS) was developed to solve this problem.
Structure
The anti-lock braking system (ABS) in a car consists of several components: speed sensors, hydraulic valves, and a control system.
Speed sensors are components that help the ABS system detect whether the wheels are locking up. These speed sensors are placed on each wheel or differential.
The hydraulic valve is the valve that controls the brake pads on each wheel.
Accordingly, the hydraulic valve will be in three basic positions: open, meaning that whatever force the driver applies, the brake pressure will generate an equivalent force that is directly transmitted to the wheels; closed, meaning the brake pressure is greater than the force the driver applies to the brakes; and released, meaning the brake pressure is less than the force the driver applies to the brakes.
The computer-controlled system will collect information and data from speed sensors, then calculate and make appropriate adjustments to the optimal brake pressure for each wheel.
Therefore, when a vehicle is equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), it will be particularly effective when braking on slippery roads or during emergency braking, ensuring the stability of the car during braking, giving the driver more time to react to the situation and protecting the safety of all occupants.
History of ABS braking system development
In the early days, around 1949, anti-lock braking systems (ABS) were only found on commercial aircraft. At that time, the structure of the ABS system was quite bulky and lacked responsiveness. By 1969, with the development of electronic technology, ABS braking systems were also applied to automobiles.
Subsequently, from the 1970s onwards, many car manufacturers worldwide researched and applied the ABS anti-lock braking system to their products.
Japanese automaker Toyota began using anti-lock braking systems (ABS) on its vehicles in 1971, but it wasn't perfected until the 1980s.
In Germany, after Mercedes-Benz and Bosch first announced the results of their joint research in August 1978, the anti-lock braking system (ABS) was officially fitted to the W116 generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan a few months later. By 1981, the ABS system was available on all of the company's commercial vehicles.
In the 1990s, the anti-lock braking system (ABS) became an indispensable standard feature when it came to safety features on every Mercedes vehicle.
To date, in order to ensure user safety, most current car models are equipped with this feature.
