How an Anti-Lock Brake System Works
A car's brakes are important components in an automobile because they allow the vehicle to slow down or stop. However, they can also be dangerous. In early car models, when the driver steps on the brakes for an abrupt stop or a sudden deceleration, the wheels lock up, rendering him unable to manoeuvre his vehicle. This resulted in many numerous crashes, sometimes often fatal. To avoid lock-ups, a driver has to pump the brakes. Today, however, this problem is now solved with the introduction of the anti-lock braking system, or ABS. Incorporated in modern cars, this is an electronic safety system that automatically pumps the brakes up to 15 times a second, preventing brake lock-up. So, how does an ABS work?
Each wheel of an automobile is fitted with sensors that continuously scan the movement of each wheel. When the sensors detect that a wheel has stopped suddenly, they will transmit a signal to the ABS computer. The computer then regulates the pressure in the braking system for all four wheels so that wheel lock-up is lessened. In other words, the driver can steer the car almost normally even when the brakes are engaged. Because he has complete control of the vehicle, he can avoid obstacles, lessening the chance of mishaps. The best thing is that all these complex actions do not require the driver to do anything special. He only needs to engage the brake the normal way. He does not even need to pump the brake because the system does that for him. A driver can actually feel the ABS system at work. He will feel some short movements and hear a distinctive pumping sound as he steps on the brake pedal.
