What is the function of the anti-lock braking system (ABS)?
Show the correct answer
Correct answer
C. It facilitates bypassing obstacles while braking.
Explanation
In the photo you can see the red ABS warning light - the letters in a circle between two arcs, as it lights up on the dashboard when you switch on the ignition or when there is a fault in the system. ABS stops the wheels from locking during braking, so the car still responds to steering movements and you can go around an obstacle - answer C. It does not shorten the braking distance in all conditions (A), and it is traction control, not ABS, that protects against loss of grip when accelerating (B).
The anti-lock braking system measures the rotational speed of each wheel, and when one starts to lock, it reduces the braking force on that wheel for a fraction of a second and then increases it again - this happens a dozen or more times per second. A locked wheel slides and does not steer, which is why without ABS a braking car goes straight on regardless of the steering wheel. On loose snow or gravel, the braking distance with ABS may even be longer, but you keep the ability to steer. The Road Traffic Act requires you to brake in a way that does not cause danger, and ABS makes it easier to meet this requirement in an emergency.
Legal basis: Art. 19 para. 2 point 2 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)