If a vehicle without traction control attempts to accelerate under those same circumstances, the wheels may slip. The vehicle will then fail to accelerate, and may move unpredictably to the left or right as the wheels are no longer gripping the road. To accomplish the goal of reducing tire slippage, traction control systems use electronic sensors in a similar manner to more familiar anti-lock brake ABS systems.
They can also use electronic sensors and controls to limit the amount of power delivery that's available to the driver when road conditions are dangerous. Traction control systems cannot create traction where there is none, they can only improve existing traction. On nearly friction-less surfaces, like ice, traction control will not help. In the same way that ABS is designed to prevent skids during braking, traction control is meant to prevent skids during acceleration.
These systems are essentially two sides of the same coin, and they even share a number of components. Traction control has grown increasingly common in recent years, but the technology is a relatively recent innovation. Prior to the invention of electronic traction control, there were a number of precursor technologies.
The first attempts at creating traction control systems were made during the s. These early systems were referred to as limited-slip differentials because all of the hardware was located in the differential.
There were no electronic components involved, so these systems had to sense a lack of traction and transfer power mechanically. During the s, General Motors produced some of the first electronic traction control systems. These systems were capable of modulating engine power when a lack of traction was sensed, but they were notoriously unreliable. Electronic stability control, a related technology, is now required equipment in cars sold in the United States and the European Union.
Since many electronic stability systems include traction control, these regulations mean that it is increasingly likely that your next car will have traction control. Traction control systems function sort of like reverse anti-lock brake systems. They use the same sensors to determine whether any of the wheels have lost traction, but these systems look for wheel slippage during acceleration instead of deceleration. If a traction control system determines that a wheel is slipping, it can take a number of corrective actions.
As a result, car makers have been fitting traction control to cars for more than 40 years. In the past decade it has become a compulsory feature along with the more sophisticated Electronic Stability Control on all mainstream production cars sold in the UK.
Traction control works by using wheel sensors the same ones which detect a locked wheel for ABS anti-lock braking systems to identify when one wheel is spinning significantly more than the other driven wheels. It has just the same effect as the driver taking their foot off the accelerator, but the electronics can react far faster than even the best driver — which is why traction control was banned from Formula 1! This will stop it turning and transfer power to the wheel or wheels, on a four-wheel-drive which still has grip.
A modern traction control system will work so quickly and seamlessly that you will not even notice it, except for the flashing warning light on the instrument panel and a momentary loss of power. Unless you are driving really quickly and being harsh with the controls, a traction control activation is a warning that the road is slippery, so you should take extra care.
It could be because of snow and ice, oil on the road, or a loose surface. If you are seeing the light often when it is wet, it could be a sign that your tyres are past their best and need replacing. If the warning light stays on permanently, it means something is broken or the system is confused by the data it has received from the wheels.
Like any computer, it may reset when the engine is turned off and on. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Under the Hood. Traction Control Explained. Image Gallery: Trucks Traction control systems limit power to the drive wheels to prevent wheel spin under acceleration.
See pictures of trucks. Traction control should be turned on while driving. Regardless of your driving skills, the system is in place to prevent accidents and should not be turned off. When should I turn off traction control? Seeing as traction control is used to prevent vehicles from skidding, it is an important safety feature.
It needs to be turned off, however, when the car is stuck in snow or mud and not able to move. Have you ever driven your car around a corner, given it some throttle and experienced the car lurching for a moment, and then gradually pick up speed?
That was modern electronic traction control you experienced. While electronic traction control is relatively new compared to how long cars have been roaming the earth, it started a long time ago as a mechanical system.
If your tires lose traction the car could spin and become uncontrollable. Therefore you need a type of traction control to kick in and save the day.
Basically, any device or system on the car that tries to help keep the tires gripping the road can be defined as a type of traction control. There are traction control systems that, in the event of lost traction, detect the loss of friction between the tire and road using sensors and measuring the speed of the wheel against information collected about steering, pedal position, engine speed and gear selection.
It will then cut power to the engine in an attempt to eliminate wheel spin.
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