How does the ABS in cars work?

You already know what happens when you brake heavily in emergency/panic situations. The aggressive input on the brake pedal results in the sudden application of brakes, and the tyres lose traction and stop rotating. This phenomenon is called wheel lockup. The job of the ABS is to prevent it and enable you to halt the car safely.

To understand the working of an ABS, you need to know the main components of the system. Four main components make up the Anti-skid braking system. They are wheel speed sensors, pressure release valves, a hydraulic motor and a controller/ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

In simple terms, ABS works on the principle of threshold braking. Generally, threshold braking is a popular term in motor racing, where the driver modulates the brake pedal pressure to enhance the braking force. The technique involves releasing the brake pedal when the wheel begins to slip and then applying the brakes again when the wheel regains traction. However, the ABS does it automatically.

Glance through the points below to understand the Anti-lock Braking System working mechanism.

• The wheel speed sensors monitor the speed of each wheel.

• When your car?s wheels lock up, the sensors detect the sudden change in the wheel speed and relay the information to the controller.

• The controller interprets the signal as a wheel lock and sends a signal to the hydraulic motor to release the brake pressure.

• The braking pressure is reduced via pressure-release valves.

• After the brake pressure release, the wheels gain traction and start to rotate.

• Once that happens, the speed sensors get into the action and send another signal to the controller.

• This time the controller sends a signal to the pump to close the pressure-release valve to stop the loss of the brake pressure and increase the braking force.

• This cycle repeats several times until the vehicle comes to a stop without any wheel locking.

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