Safety Features – ABS, EBD, and TMPS in Cars

What is ABS?

The primary purpose of ABS, otherwise known as an anti-lock braking system is to prevent the car or vehicle from skidding. It is a vital safety feature in the latest cars. This feature has significantly and statistically reduced the number of road accidents and has proved to be one of the most trusted safety features in modern cars. This feature is now available in almost all cars.

The ABS restrains the wheels from locking when you apply the brakes. This feature helps you steer the car while the brakes are applied, reducing the braking distance.

Without ABS, in the standard braking system, the brake pads press tightly against the discs of the wheels to swiftly stop the wheels from rotating. This causes them to lock up and results in the vehicle skidding. This can cause major accidents depending on the speed of the vehicle.

Technically, the wheels cannot be steered when the wheels stop rotating. This means the driver loses control of the wheels, and the car skids as a result of the momentum it is in.

How does ABS work?

With the ABS, as you apply the brakes, the speed sensors track the minimizing rotation of the wheels. When the brakes are about to halt rotation, they send a signal to the Electric Control Unit (ECU). The ECU partly releases the brake pads from the wheels through valves and pumps, letting the wheel continue to rotate. As the system allows the wheels to continue rotating, you can maintain control over the car in a heavy braking situation.

Without the ABS, the wheels would lock up or stop immediately after the brakes are applied and the car would skid due to the translational velocity of the tires. Due to skidding, the vehicle will cover a relatively longer distance, and you won’t be able to control the car since you can’t steer the locked wheels. Also, if the left and right wheels of the vehicle are on dissimilar traction surfaces, the application of brakes causes different frictional forces on the wheels. This causes the vehicle to whirl uncontrollably, causing major accidents.

Benefits of the Anti-Lock Braking System

• The anti-lock braking system minimizes the braking distance as the right pressure is applied to halt the car.
• Because the wheels do not lock up while stopping the car, it evades uneven tire wear.
• ABS shares some basic infrastructure with the Traction Control System (TCS).
• Minimize wearing of brake pads and brake discs.
• You can steer the car around obstacles even in cases of heavy braking.

What is EBD?

EBD, the Electronic Braking System is an upgrade to the ABS. This feature ensures that each wheel receives the right amount of force when the brakes are applied.

There is a whole theory behind the EBD. It is that not every tire on a car requires the same amount of braking force. When a car halts, the car’s weight is distributed among the four wheels. It is not always that each wheel sustains the same amount of weight. Therefore, the force exerted on each wheel must also vary. This is where the EBD comes into action.

Without this safety feature, equal braking power will be given to all four wheels, regardless of weight or traction supported. This will cause the wheel to slip or skid, resulting in the car losing control. The EBD mechanism prevents this from happening.

The role of TPMS

The role of TPMS or the tire pressure monitoring system in your car is to let you know if one or more tires are significantly underinflated. Underinflated tires create unsafe driving conditions because it is never a good time for flat tires!

The TPMS indicator

The indicator for the TPMS is a yellow symbol that illuminates the instrument panel on the dashboard. It shows up in the shape of a tire cross-section, resembling a horseshoe along with an exclamation point.

Why is TPMS necessary?

For many years of commuting in a vehicle, drivers were unsure of the right tire pressure. Even today, many vehicles on the road have underinflated tires. There have been various occasions where drivers could have avoided collisions or accidents had they known that the tires needed to be inflated.

The TPMS aids in monitoring the health of the tires, resulting in maintenance of the overall vehicle and prevention of mishaps.

Two types of TPMS

Indirect TPMS

In an indirect TPMS, the tire pressure is measured using the same sensors as the ABS. This is not as reliable as the direct TPMS. These sensors measure the pressure of the tires using the rate of rotation or revolution of the tires. Simply put, the indirect tire pressure monitor system measures the pace of your tires and sends signals to the computer intelligence that will actuate the indicator light when something in the spinning of the wheels seems inappropriate.

ADVANTAGES OF INDIRECT TPMS

• Less expensive compared to a direct TPMS
• Needs less programming/maintenance
• Minimum overall installation maintenance than its counterpart

DISADVANTAGES OF INDIRECT TPMS

• Can become inaccurate if you buy a bigger or smaller tire
• May be unreliable when the tires are unevenly worn out
• Must be reset after inflating each tire
• Has to be reset after regular tire rotation

Direct TPMS

Direct TPMS utilizes pressure monitoring sensors inside each tire that monitor specific pressure levels and not just wheel revolution information from the ABS. Many car manufacturers use proprietary technology for these specialized systems, so replacing a TPMS in a way that’s consistent and compatible with your car will need an experienced and knowledgeable technician.

ADVANTAGES OF DIRECT TPMS

• Deliver real-time tire pressure readings from within the tire
• Not prone to inaccuracies due to tire rotations or tire replacements
• Simple resynchronization after tire replacements or tire rotations
• Batteries inside the sensors usually last for about ten years!
• May be included in a car’s spare tire

DISADVANTAGES OF DIRECT TPMS

• More expensive than an indirect TPMS
• Resynchronization may require costly tools.
• If the battery is drained, the whole sensor has to be changed.
• Proprietary systems make installation, service, and replacement challenging for consumers and auto shops.
• Sensors are prone to damage during mounting/demounting

Conclusion

There are several safety upgrades that you can see in a vehicle these days. The above-mentioned features are becoming more and more common to people, especially in the Indian automobile market. Safety is a priority when buying a car and finding a car that has all these features can be a blessing in disguise. This holds when you are looking to buy a used car as well.