Antilock Brakes

Antilock brakes are a type of braking system in which a sensor recognizes that a wheel is about to be locked up. The sensor sends a message to a computer, which starts releasing and applying the brake, stopping the lock up and allowing the driver to maintain control or drive around an obstacle instead of sliding towards it.

When a driver hits regular brakes hard, the wheels may lock. When wheels are locked they loose the ability to be steered by the driver. Locked wheels can also result in longer stopping distances (depending on the type of surface they are in contact with). Antilock brakes also allow drivers to keep control of their vehicle when traveling over areas where the friction is uneven, such as patches of dirt, oil etc. The main advantage of antilocks is that they allow a driver to brake hard while still being able to steer around obstacles.