Nowadays, with ever- increasing traffic, the need for important safety features is growing. Many Active Safety features have been introduced so far in the industry which we shall discuss below.
An Image showing various Active safety elements in a Car.
WHAT ARE ACTIVE SAFETY FEATURES?
Active safety features have been introduced in the Automobile industry very recently, and the list goes up to an inexhaustible limit. These features have proved to be worth the upgrade.
Active safety features are present to reduce the chances of accidents and in today's time, nearly eliminating the majority of them. Some examples of common and important active safety features are Anti-LockBraking System (ABS), Traction Control, Electronic stability control (ESC), etc.
These safety features are introduced to complement the increasing traffic by many different automakers around the globe. Now let us get to know about some important active safety features in detail which is as follows:
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
Traction Control System (TCS)
Electronic Stability Control System (ESC)
Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS)
Anti- Lock Braking System:-
Anti-Lock Barking System(ABS) is found in all-new cars today. This system works so effectively in the background that it remains conspicuous in most situations. It plays an important role in reducing braking distance and stabilizing the vehicle in abnormal conditions. As the name suggests, Anti-Lock Barking System prevents the locking of tyres under high braking conditions and prevents skidding of the car, thus, reducing the chances of an accident.
To understand the mechanism of ABS, let us know a brief about the baking system in vehicles. When the brake pedal is pushed inwards, fluid pressure is generated inside the piston. This sends signals(using a computer) to the master cylinder to release brake oil(or brake fluid) through the tubes and initiate the brake pads to press against the rotors. This leads to the reduced speed of the car. The front of the two wheels contributes to more than 70% of the braking due to the inertia it bears.
Considering, an emergency where a car needs to avert an obstacle ahead at high speed. The driver reacts by pushing the brakes very hard. In such a situation, the brake rotors may lock themselves. As soon as ABS sensors on the brakes detect locking of brakes, a small amount of brake pressure is released for a fraction of a second and again increases, which generates a pulsating braking action and hence, keeps the wheels still rolling rather than slipping.
Anti-locking Braking System not only reduces braking distance but also allows the driver to manoeuver the car without skidding(or drifting). To some people, it may seem intriguing that this pulsating movement should increase braking distance, but this is not the case.
(Refer to the video for visual reference).
A video Clip demonstrating a car with ABS vs without ABS
Traction Control System (TCS):
Traction Control System is widely present in cars, bikes, off-road vehicles and many more. This system is essential for the stability of car either while starting it from a 0 kmph or accelerating it. This system is most helpful while on wet and slippery roads as it manages the power delivery to the vehicle with a safe power input without letting the active tyres slip and searching for friction. Traction Control also indirectly increases tyre life and reduces the risk of getting the vehicle out of control.
The mechanism behind Traction Control is not complicated. It is based on sensors and the electronic unit inside the car to release output. When this system is on, it judges the initial contact between the tyres and the road and controls the power delivered to wheels and thus gripping the road for a longer time. This safety feature also prevents the slipping of the car while accelerating on a wet patch on road even when it is in motion.
The latest version of Traction Control is the Dynamic Traction Control which distributes separate power to the active wheels and hence proves efficient output.
Traction Control is an important safety feature for everyday travel. If we require full power delivery to the wheels and prevent any hindrance of the computer algorithms, this system can be turned off(if provided by the manufacturer). This system is preferably turned off during off-road activities or under abnormal conditions like being stuck in the snow, mud or sand.
(Refer to the video for visual reference).
A video clip showing how TCS helps gain control by preventing slipping of wheels and wasting power, squeaking of tyres clearly shows TCS in action.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC):
Electronic Stability Control is one of the most important safety features in the automobile industry. It prevents a large number of accidents every year due to its seamless working. With increased precision of power assisted-steering and increased average speeds, this program has proved to be very helpful in manoeuvring tight curves without skidding the vehicle due to under or over steering. The Electronic Stability Control Program also comprises data inputs from sensors based on ABS and Traction Control System.
When a car travels at very high speed and approaches a sharp curve, it may not get enough time to slow down and may shoot up or roll over or get out of control due to loass of friction. The ESC or ESP helps to brake with different brake pressure on all four wheels and hence, producing a counter torque keeping the vehicle on the desired trajectory without over-steer or under-steer.
This system works under most circumstances and is of great help in an emergency. For example, to turn a car instantly due to sudden danger spotted ahead, overspeeding on a tight curve with no banking, etc.
(Refer to the video for visual reference)
A video clip showing the working of ESC.
Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS):
ADAS is a brilliant innovation that has recently entered even low-mid range cars and has proved very helpful in many conditions. The working of ADAS is a very complex radar-based mechanism, which takes inputs somewhat like the SONAR and then processes them to build a virtual live map of the traffic conditions ahead. It keeps track of the instantaneous speeds of the vehicles nearby and their lane movements and controls the speed by sensing the distance between the two cars.
ADAS sensors work with high precision, and in many high-end cars, it even controls the lighting and the throw of the high beam, hence facilitating both the driver of the car and even other drivers nearby. It can also initiate emergency braking along with an alarm in the absence of driver inputs to slow down the car.
Since this feature is majorly-based on radar and not light transmitters, it can very well be relied upon, especially in foggy or heavy rain where light penetration is minimal. ADAS also keeps the car in the centre of the lane and this feature is referred to as lane-keep assist.
This feature is currently an option in most mid-range cars and is expensive but definitely a worthy upgrade unless we totally rely on it.
(Refer to the video for visual reference)
A video clip showing ADAS.
Conclusion:
The presence of these active safety features adds reliability to road transport and further helps to increase speeds and reduce the time of travel. One should not rely on these features and get handicapped without them. In recent years, it has been found in many surveys that people were unable to reverse the car if cameras and sensors were not provided or are not working. This should not be the case as these features are to aid driving and are not meant to drive.
Features and computer are good slaves but worst masters.
Hence drive with utmost caution and get continuous aid from the features.
Drive Safe!
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