What role does the ABS system play when a vehicle performs emergency braking?

[DeRuby]

The role of the ABS system during emergency braking in a vehicle includes fully utilizing the effectiveness of the brakes, reducing braking time and distance; effectively preventing vehicle skidding and fishtailing during emergency braking, ensuring good driving stability; enabling steering during emergency braking, providing excellent steering control; and avoiding intense friction between the tires and the ground, reducing tire wear. How ABS works: During braking, the ABS quickly determines the wheel lock-up state based on the speed signals from each wheel speed sensor, closes the normally open input solenoid valve for the wheel that is starting to lock up, keeping the braking force constant. If the wheel continues to lock up, the normally closed output solenoid valve is opened, causing the braking pressure on that wheel to rapidly decrease due to the direct connection to the brake fluid reservoir, preventing the wheel from completely locking up due to excessive braking force. This keeps the braking state at the optimal point (slip ratio S of 20%), achieving the best braking effect and the highest driving safety.

[Declan]

Back when I drove that old car without ABS, I almost rear-ended someone during emergency braking in the rain—the steering wheel was completely locked up. ABS is specifically designed to solve this problem. When you slam on the brakes, it detects if a wheel is about to lock up using wheel speed sensors and instantly releases and reapplies brake pressure via a pump, doing this over a dozen times per second. This keeps the tires right at the edge of locking, preventing skidding while maintaining steering control. I’ve tested ABS-equipped cars in snow—even with full braking, you can still steer around obstacles, and the stopping distance is actually shorter than with manual cadence braking. The key is the system reacts hundreds of times faster than a human, especially on slippery roads—it can be a lifesaver. Nowadays, driver’s ed even teaches proper ABS usage.

[LiamFitz]

Last time I accompanied a friend for a test drive, the salesperson specifically demonstrated the ABS: during emergency braking, the pedal would kick back—definitely don’t let up. At its core, this system is an intelligent brake modulator, constantly monitoring the speed of all four wheels. If one wheel slows down, it reduces braking force; if it speeds up, it increases pressure, functioning like rapid pumping but far more efficient. Its most valuable feature is enabling two things simultaneously: maintaining steering control while decelerating. Once on the highway, when the car ahead suddenly stopped, I braked while steering—the rear didn’t even swing out as I avoided the collision, all thanks to the ABS working tirelessly in the background. Nowadays, even cars under 100,000 yuan mostly come with ABS as standard, as it can prevent 70% of skid-related accidents during emergency braking.

[AdrielDella]

Once a mechanic showed me a disassembled ABS pump, and the solenoid valves inside were incredibly precise. The principle is simple: when it detects a wheel is about to lock up, the hydraulic unit releases and then reapplies pressure, keeping the tire in a state of near-lock. This critical rolling generates maximum friction, ensuring stable braking without skidding. My driving habit is to test the ABS performance on slippery roads—feeling the pedal pulsate confirms the system is active. Veteran drivers often preach pumping the brakes, but ABS can pulse dozens of times per second, far surpassing human capability. Especially when fully loaded, the vehicle’s weight and inertia are greater, and ABS can shorten the braking distance by at least three meters.

[JosephRose]

I remember the first time I experienced ABS was during my novice driving period. The sudden pulsation of the brake pedal startled me. Later, I learned that this was the system preventing wheel lock-up by releasing the brakes at high frequency to maintain tire traction. The most obvious benefit is no skidding during emergency braking, with the steering wheel always remaining controllable. Braking from 80 km/h in the rain, the car only nods slightly. Without ABS, the car would slide like a curling stone. Although it may slightly increase braking distance on dry roads, the overall safety improvement is tremendous. Europe mandated ABS installation long ago, which has indeed reduced many collision incidents.