67mustang302

That's the general idea. for the average driver in the average situation, ABS keeps them out of trouble that they would get in most of the time. A car in a full skid takes longer to stop than a car with ABS active, and a car with ABS active takes longer to stop than a car under full braking without ABS(remember, ABS has to release braking force to unlock the wheels before it reapplies the force, so a portion of the time when ABS is active is spent with virtually no braking at all).

Like you said, it has it's places. I personally hate ABS for the simple fact that I don't like anything to encroach on my ability to operate a vehicle, it adds an element of unpredictability to the driving situation. Nothing sucks more than to be on top of a situation, only to have a computer take over and add a variable to a situation that you weren't counting on.

What I'm waiting for is the "ABS" that Renault developed for their F1 cars(which was disallowed by the rules) to make it's way to street cars. It uses advanced on board computers that basically hold braking force at maximum, keeping the tires on the verge of lockup, but without locking/releasing like a traditional ABS. It radically reduced stopping distance on their F1 cars they tested it on, but the FIA felt it would allow higher straightaway speeds that the current chassis safety wouldn't hold up to under impact, so they disallowed it. Basically you mash the brake pedal, and the computers clamp the brakes to the absolute max, but without creating any lockup.

Starfury

I'm with 67mustang302. ABS is designed for the average driver, and the average driver is an idiot. No offense to all the average drivers out there, but most people just don't know anything about braking systems, physics, etc. They know that they have a 'go' pedal and a 'stop' pedal and that's about it.

ABS is definitely good for the average driver. Most people will simply stomp on the brakes in an emergency. The problem with this is that it takes away any ability to steer the car. ABS allows you to steer in such emergency situations.

Unfortunately, ABS doesn't always work as anticipated (as JMD figured out), and it can take away control from a driver educated enough to work a non-ABS system properly. It's also often a very complicated system with many parts that require complicated and expensive service when they 'break.' ABS systems are also designed around the whole car they are put on. If improperly swapped to another vehicle, they won't work properly and may actually be dangerous.

Stangtjk is in a unique position to transfer an entire ABS system over to his car along with the suspension he swapped. Unless you do something similar, and unless you're very familiar with brake mechanics, I wouldn't even think about it.

MacKreggin

ABS is great for stopping skids and I like it when I need to slow down on an icy road going downhill on an 8% grade or if a kid runs out in front of me but most of the time you don't need it. So what I'd like is an aftermarket system that can be deactivated or prevents only activates on wheel lockup.

Sxynerd

It's stupid to say things like these aren't needed or warranted. Just because you build a car doesn't mean you really know how to drive it. Just because you buy a gun doesn't mean you're a Navy Seal.

Op, I don't know of anything aftermarket like what you're speaking of. I wish more drivers realized they weren't Mario Andretti.

Hwyman

I just watched a NASCAR race. I saw a lot of professional drivers lock up their brakes in emergency situations. Apparently, they need someone to teach them how to use the brakes more effectively.

Being able to use the brakes to their maximum and outperform ABS is a good theory, but almost never happens in an emergency. I have seen countless every day accidents where people skidded in to an object/car where if the tires had been turning they might have steered around it. In the real world, ABS and vehicle stability control are tremendous safety items. IMO

gjz30075

Finally, someone who understands WHY ABS exists. It allows for steering of the car when one stomps on the brake, IF one maintains some sort of composure in a panic situation, one can still steer the car clear of the problem.

dklistul

Somebody had to say it. These guys DID.

There are those who certainly can outperform ABS. I'm guessing most people driving on the street aren't among them.