Tech Talk

ABS AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS - PART 5

Having looked earlier in this series at the function and operating principles of antilock braking systems, its now time to study what are effectively extensions in
functionality of ABS:

Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)

Traction Control (TRC)
Brake Assist (BA)
Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)

This article will cover EBD and TRC and

the next article in this series will look at
BA and VSC.

Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)

When the vehicle brakes are applied, the
centre of gravity of the vehicle shifts in the
direction of travel. With less weight over the
rear wheels, the available grip is reduced and
the risk of locking these wheels is increased,
reducing the braking effort applied between
the tyres and road surface. The front tyres
will have some extra grip due to the weight
transfer and as long as the driver maintains
or increases braking effort, the vehicles
deceleration will be quite acceptable in most
situations. The most dangerous effect of
locked rear wheels is the loss of directional
stability and a dangerous spin is very likely.
For many years, motor vehicle
manufacturers have employed various types
of hydraulic valve to control brake balance
between the front and rear pairs of wheels
in order to prevent rear wheel lock up under
heavy braking conditions. These valves are
generally referred to as proportioning valves.
Now that manufacturers are routinely
equipping their models with ABS, the
proportioning valve is effectively obsolete as
this system can do the same job of
controlling rear brake line pressure to prevent
lock up during weight transfer.
However, for many years the
proportioning valve was retained on ABS
equipped vehicles as it proved difficult to
control the rear brakes in an acceptably
smooth way (due to low ABS ECU
processing power and manufacturing
limitations, ABS intervention during nonemergency braking resulted in brake pedal
feedback and system noise).
These issues have now been overcome
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and this mode of ABS operation is known

as Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD).

EBD operation
EBD utilises the functions and components
already used in ABS, although the software
controlling the valves is modified to control
the pressure increase and hold phases only,
at lower braking efforts and less slip than
those used in emergency braking.
When braking in a straight line, the ECU
compares the individual speed of each wheel
and the average speed of each pair. The
front to rear average speeds are compared
and if the rears are showing signs of locking,
the pressure hold (inlet) valves for both
these wheels will close to prevent more
pressure being applied. More pressure can
still be applied to the front wheels if
necessary. If the vehicle is fully laden, more
pressure can be applied to the rear pair
before intervention occurs. Note that this
load-sensing ability is automatic as the
wheel speed sensors simply report on the
slipping condition of the wheels, which is in
proportion to the weight acting on them.
Before the advent of EBD, specially designed
load-sensing proportioning valves were
needed for vehicles that experience a wide
range of load conditions.

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If one or both rear wheels still show signs

of skidding, the ABS will take over, releasing
the pressure until the wheel speeds up.
When cornering and braking at the same
time, the outside rear wheel has a big effect
on directional stability so it is vital that this
wheel doesnt lock. The inside wheel will tend
to lock early, and the ECU will notice a large
difference between left and right wheel
speeds. The ECU will regulate the pressure
applied to both wheels based on the speed
of the slower inside wheel to prevent too
much braking causing the important outer
wheel to slip.

the brake switch is being operated at the

same time. If it is, then ABS is required if
not then traction control intervention is
necessary and the ECU acts appropriately.
Some systems double-check by assessing the
throttle position as well.

TRC system operation

If one of the driven wheels starts to spin
during acceleration the ABS/TRC ECU can
initiate a number of actions:

Traction control
Traction control has become increasingly
important for various reasons, not least
because cars have become more powerful. In
front-wheel-drive vehicles the weight transfer
during start-off and sudden acceleration can
promote a severe loss of grip (traction)
between the front tyres and the road. In rearwheel-drive cars the risk of yaw leading to a
spin as the vehicle accelerates is very real,
particularly if the vehicle is being steered at
the same time, at junctions for example. In
the latter example limited-slip-differentials can
be a great help but these devices can cause
sudden unwanted steering responses in some
front-wheel-drive vehicles and tyre wear can
be an issue. For safety reasons, traction
control systems, whilst criticised by some
expert drivers, have become a very
necessary addition to a vehicles specification
for most of us.

The system
The TRC system uses exactly the same
components as ABS and EBD, with the
addition of extra valves for each hydraulic
circuit.
The key difference between ABS and

Retard ignition timing (to reduce power)

Close throttle valve (to reduce power)
Cut injectors (to reduce power)
Brake the spinning wheel

In early systems, braking the spinning

wheel was the only option but unfortunately
this system did nothing to prevent the driver
applying even more power in an attempt to
increase acceleration and subsequently brake
pad wear was very high.

Operation power control

The ABS/TRC ECU is in constant
communication with the engine management
ECU, often via a CAN system on later
vehicles. When wheel spin is detected, the
intake airflow can be reduced to reduce power.
Some vehicles use an additional, electrically
controlled throttle in the throttle housing,
although where Drive-by-wire systems are
fitted the throttle motor can be controlled by
the engine management ECU, overriding the
drivers input. In both cases the throttle can
be progressively closed, reducing power.
Some systems control the ignition timing
or cut individual injectors for more rapid
response and variable valve timing systems
can also be affected.
TRC braking is still employed but the
proportion of braking vs. power reduction
varies according to vehicle speed and
acceleration.

Operation braking

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Summary
EBD is designed to operate at its best on
lightly laden vehicles, when it would be all too
easy to lock the rear wheels. It has
advantages over hydraulic proportioning
valves in that it allows the braking effort
applied to be somewhat higher when grip is
available. TRC has proved itself to be a great
advantage when rapid acceleration is required,
reducing the risk of loss of steering control.
The next article in this series will progress
to Vehicle Stability Control and Brake Assist,
which are also extensions to basic ABS
functionality.
If you would like to study anti-lock braking
systems in more detail we would be delighted
to provide you with a place on one of our
technical courses. Please see details below on
how to contact us.
ProAuto Limited are an automotive
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manufacturers and independent garages.
We run courses from numerous select
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email us at info@proautotraining.com or
telephone on 01743 709679.

TRC is down to the pedal operated brake

switch. If the ECU detects significant
differences in wheel speeds it checks to see if

When a wheel spins under acceleration the

ABS/TRC ECU decides if brake intervention is
required. If it is, the pump in the ABS actuator
will run to supply pressurised fluid to the
brake of the spinning wheel via the inlet
solenoid valve (remember the driver is not
applying the brake so brake pressure has to
be generated by other means).

In order to prevent
fluid being pumped back
to the brake master
cylinder at this time,
solenoid valve A is closed
(see diagram). Solenoid B
is opened to supply
hydraulic fluid to the
pump as necessary. The
braked wheel should now
slow down and more
power will be supplied to the opposite wheel
(via the differential) as long as power is still
applied by the driver/ECU. As the wheel
slows, the outlet valve allows fluid to be bled
back to the reservoir/pump. The cycle is
repeated until either power is reduced enough
to prevent spin or the wheels start to turn at
very similar speeds (equal grip).

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