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You don't seem to understand the point of ABS brakes. The way to achieve maximum deceleration in a car IS to lock up the wheels. The reason ABS brakes exist i

You don't seem to understand the point of ABS brakes. The way to achieve maximum deceleration in a car IS to lock up the wheels. The reason ABS brakes exist is because when the wheels are locked, the car is sliding as opposed to rolling, which causes the car to skid instead of turn when you turn the steering wheel. Average drivers tend to struggle with this and end up spinning out of control. So ABS brakes pump the brakes rapidly as a compromise between controllability and stopping distance, which allows the average driver in an emergency to just "stomp and steer" instead of having to learn how to control a skid, which is a more advanced driving skill. But they do this at the expense of stopping distance, which is longer than if you just locked up the brakes. Putting the transmission in park was still unnecessary and probably useless. It's not designed for that force, so it didn't absorb any energy or help the car stop faster; it just blew up.

kqr 3y ago
I'm not sure this is true. Yes, steerability is the main benefit of ABS, but I think bringing wheels from a slight roll to skid absorbs more energy (through deformation of the rubber) then just skidding along would under the same time frame. I.e. ABS does marginally decrease stopping distance -- at least on asphalt -- compared to plain skidding friction.
rootusrootus 3y ago
> The way to achieve maximum deceleration in a car IS to lock up the wheels That isn't true. Dynamic friction for a tire is always less than static friction, as soon as the tires are sliding your stopping distance is going to get longer. A good driver used to be able to threshold brake better than a basic ABS setup, but that hasn't been true now for years. Modern ABS computers are quite advanced.
outworlder 3y ago
> The way to achieve maximum deceleration in a car IS to lock up the wheels. Very much untrue and it's a subject covered by school physics textbooks. The wheels may not lock up simultaneously(often don't) and that is the reason why ABS will monitor wheels individually. And, if you are doing that, might as well do it all the time, and that's traction control. ABS decreases stopping distance and increases controllability. It's a win win. These days you can't really do any better than ABS, "average" driver or not.

kqr 3y ago

I'm not sure this is true. Yes, steerability is the main benefit of ABS, but I think bringing wheels from a slight roll to skid absorbs more energy (through deformation of the rubber) then just skidding along would under the same time frame. I.e. ABS does marginally decrease stopping distance -- at least on asphalt -- compared to plain skidding friction.

rootusrootus 3y ago

> The way to achieve maximum deceleration in a car IS to lock up the wheels That isn't true. Dynamic friction for a tire is always less than static friction, as soon as the tires are sliding your stopping distance is going to get longer. A good driver used to be able to threshold brake better than a basic ABS setup, but that hasn't been true now for years. Modern ABS computers are quite advanced.

outworlder 3y ago

> The way to achieve maximum deceleration in a car IS to lock up the wheels. Very much untrue and it's a subject covered by school physics textbooks. The wheels may not lock up simultaneously(often don't) and that is the reason why ABS will monitor wheels individually. And, if you are doing that, might as well do it all the time, and that's traction control. ABS decreases stopping distance and increases controllability. It's a win win. These days you can't really do any better than ABS, "average" driver or not.