ABS ON vs ABS OFF | What's Really the Difference?

[@OVERDRIVE.studios]

🔘What do you think of this NEW SERIES? What would you like us to test next? 🔔Don't forget to subscribe, you could be here driving with us!!

[@abnfalcon3901]

YES, WE WANT THIS TO BE A SERIES AND WOULD LOVE TO MORE OF THESE TESTS

[@andyowens5494]

Can you do a lap of a track faster with ABS on or off? This shows that ABS helps braking regardless of conditions and talent, and allows control whilst locked, but can a pro driver do better?

[@jonathanfowler2932]

Would love to see a video on different ways you can lose control of your car and how to regain control, e.g. Oversteer from too much lateral Gs on a corner vs oversteer from excess power vs lift off oversteer (where the tyres aren't moving fast enough) etc.

[@oscarjosefsson9300]

Do this again but try to do your very best without the ABS

[@markredacted8547]

LOVE IT, even though I am not a racing car driver my friend was and taught me how to cadence break and handle aquaplaning as well as so much more. But having learned these tools without ever braking hard on non-ABS I had a warped perception. I thought without ABS with cadence braking you can stop quicker* (obviously depending on road surface, conditions etc) I have always driven with ABS on I think all my cars, so it was all hypothetical. Watching this, knowing as a race car driver you know the cadence technique to find limit and back off slightly before increasing pressure and releasing as you slow to a stop. This warped my knowledge, seeing how much worse ABS and non-ABS was, was a surprise to me. I assumed straight line say 60kph the results would be negligible ABS stopping 5m earlier, this showed the complexity and "well" just how incredible braking software is this days. Thank you, now if I ever hear an old geezer "ie; my dad" say how much better cars were and abs over-rated I will show him this. Sorry for the long message, massive fan (mostly of your fathers workshop, but you're alright I guess 😜)

[@westane6171]

Would be interesting to see what ABS is like compared to threshold and cadence braking.

[@bubbahotep7682]

Cadence? Yeah, that was my first thought too.

[@martin_marek]

Exactly. Obviously ABS is needed when you slam on the brake pedal. But can a pro driver do better without ABS? By how much?

[@downskated]

That's what I click on this video expecting

[@bubbahotep7682]

I remember some show from the 90s demonstrating cadence braking, maybe Top Gear before it got all silly and scripted? Definitely be interesting to see how ABS compares to cadence braking. Threshold braking? That's a new one to me, guess I'd better google that practice.

[@JohnyG29]

You won't be threshold braking in normal day to day driving, unless you're a nutter.

[@hadtopicausername]

Getting your driver's licence in Norway involves an obligatory session at a skid pan. In my instructor's car, you could turn the ABS on and off at the click of a button, as it was mandatory that all pupils get to acquainted with how a car with and without ABS behaves. Let's just say it was a highly instructive (and incredibly fun) session, and that ABS is basically a godsend to the average driver.

[@robertvanruyssevelt7159]

To every driver.

[@Dutch3DMaster]

That sounds very good, and I wish we would have this in The Netherlands. I was lucky to have a couple of driving lessons in the snow in which we learned what icy situations did on an empty parking lot that was not having any curbs, and it was indeed a fun and, if you ask me, a very valuable lesson. Probably not one that will make me instinctly do the right thing in case of icy situations, but at least I knew how it feels (weird! :P ).

[@13Gangland]

​@@robertvanruyssevelt7159Just the casual drivers. Real drivers don't care.

[@sdsd2e2321]

@@Dutch3DMaster Must feel weird to be a man without a penis too.

[@rickardsvensson7097]

​@@13Gangland Real drivers will care the day they wrap themselves around a tree and by miracle survive. ABS saves more life than almost anything. Does not matter if you have been driving 40 years in F1 or 1 month with your mom. You can not beat it 100/100 times. ABS is just as important as seatbelts. Most of the time it takes a 2 second misstake to end your or someone elses life.

[@JoeBlo2]

I was expecting threshold braking comparison on ABS and non-ABS systems.

[@maars1330]

Yeah me too

[@yoancarlove7383]

Yeah, this is dumb, this is Karen Braking VS ABS, I mean, don't get me wrong I like ABS but it is mostly intended for Karens.

[@ebouwman034]

@@yoancarlove7383 No, it’s really meant for everyone. People have a habit of making mistakes when they panic. Also winter driving… you should still threshold brake in winter but you’re always running closer to the limit of grip so there are more chances to screw up.

[@richsackett3423]

@@yoancarlove7383 You ain't better than the machine, John Henry.

[@Intrepid175a]

@@yoancarlove7383 - the problem with that attitude is that most of us are Karens if I'm interpreting your reference properly. I've seen comparisons where a "professional" driver could out brake and ABS equipped car under ideal conditions but even then, it took them a few tries to do it. How often do we get to practice in an emergency situation? In less than ideal conditions, even a professional driver couldn't come close to duplicating the stopping distances that an ABS equipped car could achieve. Besides, ABS isn't necessarily there to provide the absolute shortest stopping distance although it can certainly help. ABS is there to insure we stop in a "controlled" manner as this video very effectively demonstrated. The thing is, the vast majority of us aren't nearly as good behind the wheel as we like to think we are.

[@kdmq]

You can actually see at 2:19 that the system disables ABS at speeds below about 1-2 mph. Most manufacturers have this to prevent problems like GM had where the car would slow down to 1 mph and keep rolling through a stop sign because of erratic wheel speed sensor signals.

[@johnhufnagel]

It's also the reason why ABS can fail you in really poor grip conditions, such as snow or ice. once all 4 wheels have stopped turning, the computer doesn't know you're still moving, so it allows the wheels to stay locked.

[@kdmq]

@@johnhufnagel This is kind of unlikely since all four wheels would have to lock up at the exact same moment. The failure mode I have described is when the computer thinks one wheel is locking up when it actually isn't, and the computer disables the brakes entirely and allows the wheels to free roll at 1-2 mph. Both of these failure modes have been corrected with better software since the infantile days of ABS.

[@johnhufnagel]

@@kdmq perhaps it's because most of my vehicles are of the early aughts generation, but I have been able to have that exact scenario happen to the multiple times in the snow. Getting all four wheels to locks simultaneously isn't that difficult in a very low traction environment. I guess it's possible far newer vehicles with far newer ABS programming will fare better, but I don't have data to support that.

[@jlco]

I've noticed that in Forza Motorsport 7, they appear to simulate some part of this situation. Must be the wrong part, because threshold braking gets really weird at 2 MPH when suddenly brake pressure randomly plummets. If I remember correctly, this occurs with ABS disabled.

[@kdmq]

@@johnhufnagel I would suspect that this is more due to the "reaction time" of the ABS control module being slower than in present-day computers. Since, due to the weight shift of the car, the back tires almost always lock up either a millisecond before or after the front tires, depending on how the brake proportioning valve is set. You would have to jab the brakes as hard as you can, on the most uniform ice, in a mid-engine car, to truly lock up all four wheels at the same time. That being said, you are still correct in that you can lock up the wheels in older ABS cars from ~2000-2005.

[@GuzziHeroV50]

It'd be great to repeat the tests with ABS off, but controlling your braking. Great video!

[@isaaclowe7212]

Was disappointed in them not doing that test, they nailed it otherwise

[@lurka1337]

I feel a good driver could do an excellent job

[@Tobiasliese]

@@lurka1337 Yes he could, but what would be the point of it? If a racing driver can handle it, the video would create a false impression. It makes sense to not control the breaking since it would be tricking the viewer into thinking it's easy. If you really want to find out, find a unused road and test it yourself. After some practice you'll be able to control the breaking, however you will need practice and you still won't be as reliable as ABS. ABS is used in racing just for this reason, you can be more confident in you're breaking and can shift your focus to the environment and not to master the breaking.

[@lurka1337]

@@Tobiasliese I just think it would be entertaining, you know what you tube is for? I want fact KZbin is not where I go first, sometimes it's useful, but it's just entertainment IMO...

[@paulrobbertze587]

Also would like to see what a good driver or even average driver would do VS ABS

[@F.S92]

One of the many reasons why I roll my eyes when someone says “all these electronic assists kill the driving experience”. On a race track YES! But on a road they saved more lives than is possible to count. Why does everyone act like they are F1 driver and need all the power and “driver” feel while lugging in their Fiesta to Lidl?!

[@stigrabbid589]

@@DMAX-tp4pc That is why F1 banned ABS and Traction Control, it makes them much faster, to the point of being potentially less safe than normal.

[@jsonbthefirst8866]

Or me in my 2014 Kia Soul turning off traction control so I can get that launch off the green light lmfao. Ig we kind of just like pretending we drive fast cars. A boy can dream can’t he…

[@a64738]

Just so you know it If you can not break without locking your wheels on a car without ABS you are not fit to drive and should hand in your drivers license. This video is just stupid, you do NOT lock your wheels when breaking !!!! Also breaking without ABS is not that hard and when you learn it you get shorter breaking distance which can save your life...

[@mafiousbj]

Reminds of some story floating around the internet about a poll (think it was from the US) in which 95% of drivers rated themselves "better than average". It goes without saying that 95% of people being better than 50% of people is mathematically impossible, unless all of those polled were F1 drivers 😂. We tend to think too highly of ourselves and our abilities but life usually humbles us sooner or later

[@bar2062]

Depends, some assistance make the vehicles less safe

[@CarToneHK]

6:34 I didn't notice that was a life sized cutout of Hamster until that shot

[@Kraven83]

Savage!

[@Staro69]

same

[@AlexcasaCVC]

Would also be interesting to see how 20 years old ABS compares to the new versions.

[@juanordonezgalban2278]

I've heard some of the first abs modules operated at 2 hz.

[@alunesh12345]

@@juanordonezgalban2278 Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. GOD loves you soo much unconditionally.😍😚☺❤🍂

[@rabbitdrink]

really sucks. almost caused an accident in our familys truck so i pulled the fuse and braking is a lot better now

[@rabbitdrink]

@@alunesh12345 cool but please dont spam his word everywhere, it turns people away from jesus especially when they need him

[@lilstinker5475]

My car turns 21 this year, ABS is broken and I've had to let up on the brakes to avoid hitting curbs when I was a new driver

[@degusa1]

Can you do a part 2 with threshold braking vs ABS?

[@float32]

Yeah. For us that grew up without ABS, we know this is not how your brake when you don’t have ABS! My mom taught me how to brake without ABS when I was a teen. Is it lost knowledge?

[@balinoob1837]

@@float32 born in 02 here, and my first car was a 97 accent no abs or at least no fuse in the fuse box for it and my now car is a 2010 elantra no abs... yeah sounds ridiculous but it was still an option in 2010 to have abs just like how powered windows were. With time, I've learn how to brake without abs and now I have to reflexes to release some brake pressure and also brake gently while turning. Also, I live where it gets under freezing for 5 solid months per year and lots of ice and snow, this helped me alot to learn how to drive and brake well.

[@repairdrive]

I was waiting for that part next but they never did. Those poor tires though!!

[@juliogonzo2718]

@@balinoob1837 I'm actually surprised it was not mandatory by 2010. What country are you in? I am in Canada and I think it was standard in everything after around mid 2000's. (I may be wrong) now all the new stuff if it has an abs fault it goes all nuts because stability control was mandatory after 2013 or 2014 i think. I buy older cars and disable the abs in winter because I hate it

[@juliogonzo2718]

@@balinoob1837 I'm actually surprised it was not mandatory by 2010. What country are you in? I am in Canada and I think it was standard in everything after around mid 2000's. (I may be wrong) now all the new stuff if it has an abs fault it goes all nuts because stability control was mandatory after 2013 or 2014 i think. I buy older cars and disable the abs in winter because I hate it

[@kennethbowden4129]

I did the same test on a 1995 chevy, it took longer to stop with ABS than without at that time. The systems have definitely improved since then.

[@Hamisxa]

can you do one on downforce? Basically apply some different aero parts, homemade and professionally designed and what difference it makes.

[@OVERDRIVE.studios]

Great idea!

[@mosca3289]

Check out Kyle Engineers channel. Ex F1 aerodynamics guy analyzes road car aerodynamics.

[@simonm1447]

Aerodynamically downforce only works if a car is fast - which is the reason race cars use it. With the typical speeds driven on public roads it would probably not make a real difference, and with the speed driven in cities it would make no difference at all. What it would do is increase fuel consumption.

[@stigrabbid589]

@@simonm1447 Yep, also the faster you go, the more downforce gets generated, and F1 cars have to be driven hard to get any grip or have the brakes work at all because of how crazy they are.

[@alunesh12345]

@@mosca3289 Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. GOD loves you soo much unconditionally.😍😚☺❤🍂

[@outandabout259]

I got to test this myself when I was learning to get my driver's license. I was on a driving course made for trying emergency braking and driving on really slippery surfaces, complete with soft obstacles to give the feeling of crashing without damaging the vehicle. That stuff is required for getting the license here in Finland.

[@tydshiin5783]

Honestly that should be a standard for the world a demonstration for a crash intentionally

[@saniakshay12]

Lmao in India the school didn't even have a proper working car. And for my licence test the person in charge took around 2000inr (15 gbp) and gave me the licence without a test. He wouldn't let me take it either. My mum had to teach me how to drive separately

[@ML-gc2fi]

We need that, here in America.

[@MetallicMutalisk]

@@saniakshay12 In finland it costs at least 1200€ with very many lessons (about the same in gbp) could be more nowadays

[@antonischatz.2133]

The life size Hammond killed me 😂 Didn't see that coming!

[@op3l]

Omg, what you said about the on track situation vs real life situations is exactly what I’ve been telling people who goes ABS and other electronic systems are for those that can’t drive.

[@mertzanakia]

I was hoping to see how well a pro driver like you can brake with ABS off.

[@samyakhp4353]

This video was not about proving himself, it was about demonstrating the importance of ABS. If he had put in some skills, then you wouldn't have understood/seen the complete extent to which the abs helps.

[@SoloRenegade]

@@samyakhp4353 then he should have put a random driver behind the wheel for both tests to see how they did.

[@Appletank8]

@@SoloRenegade I mean, the average driver doesn’t know how to threshold brake, and that’s what he demonstrated here. The ABS system requires no thought, just mash the brake. He could get a random driver behind the wheel, but that requires more effort than what he can replicate well enough anyways. Also, when things go wrong, his experience will let him get to safety more safely, like avoiding the camera. side note, remember when Hamilton forgot to turn off the front tire brake heating mode? That’s how a car behaves when the tires lock, and every one else turning properly is proper threshold braking.

[@Smzxe]

Everyone is not pro racing driver on road ABS is better for normal people

[@edwardmoffett1704]

You missed a point from the introduction. Pro drivers are able to use threshold braking on a closed course because they run through the same turns repeatedly. ABS is useful in situations where the driver does not have a chance to practice. Besides, most amateur drivers who think they know how to threshold brake actually do not. It would be professional malpractice to post a video that encourages them.

[@bramscheDave]

Thank you for mentioning threshold braking. I grew up on cars before ABS became standard and had to learn threshold and cadence braking (basically manual ABS by pumping the pedal, when the wheels lock). The first is just getting to know how your vehicle responds on different surfaces and weather conditions, the latter is getting your brain to ignore panic mode and do the "stupid" thing of releasing the brake pedal, waiting for the tyre to rotate, then applying pressure again, rinse and repeat. That is actually harder than most people think. The first time I drove an ABS vehicle (I had to use my boss' car for the day for a business trip) and had to do an emergency stop (black ice and stopped traffic), I really didn't stop at all. I'd learnt to cadence brake and started pumping, the ABS started pumping and... I just carried straight on. The lucky thing, as shown in your video, is that with both cadence and ABS, you can still steer the car. There was a gap and run-off, which, despite ice and the tyres locking up, I could aim for. I avoided the accident, but after that, I found a quiet stretch of road and really tested the ABS. If you you've "broken" your brain to actually do cadence braking, it takes a lot of effort to unlearn that and trust the ABS. Nowadays, people have grown up with ABS, so it isn't such a problem. Threshold braking also save me. I was driving an older Toyota Carina E (well, it was nearly new at the time, but before ABS was standard) on a single track tarmac road covered with dust. I drove the road every day and I'd had the car for several months and I'd been practicing late braking on that stretch, because it was a "y" junction, I needed to turn up the short stalk of the "y", but if I messed it up, I could carry straight on. It was also open (clear view in all directions), so a safe place to test the bakes. One day, as I was approaching the junction, a woman in a Volvo pulled out of the stalk of the "y" without looking, got into the middle of the road and saw the Toyota coming at her with a good 50mph (60mph stretch of road). I slammed on the brakes and got them to the "howling" point, they were just at the maximum level of adhesion and were just about to lock up. I managed to hold them there, scrubbed off over 30mph, before I reached the Volvo, let up on the brakes, turned the wheel, the car started to turn into the junction, with a bit of understeer. A quick (very quick) dab of handbrake got broke the back end loose and the front gripped, being front wheel drive, I gunned the engine and pulled the car into the junction. I shot along the side of the Volvo with inches to spare. The days of learning how the car reacted, specifically how it reacted on a dusty tarmac road, paid off. I did the perfect maneuver, with perfect timing. I couldn't have done it if I had tried, it was pure instinct and a one in a million shot. I expect, if I ever tried to re-enact it, I'd probably smash into the Volvo. Anyway, it would be great to see such a video as this one, where the professional driver also showed how much shorter the braking distance is, if you can threshold brake. I expect it is only a couple of metres, but it could make all the difference. I find we are much lazier these days, we generally ignore our natural reflexes and don't train ourselves to brake properly, we just rely on the technology to get us out of trouble.

[@sevamobil]

The regulation is aware of the treshold braking and that abs causes more distance. However the ABS is a must and there is certain factor. The ABS brake is allowed 1.1 to 1.25 times longer. The benefit of ABS is not the distance, the manueverability instead. 👍 great video

[@peterleblanc661]

Did not know this. Cool! Thanks for info.

[@racvets1]

ABS was never mandatory in the US for this exact reason, it does add a little to stopping distance than optimal brake pressure (worse on stuff like gravel roads). ESC did become mandatory in 2012 in the US, and the easy way to to ESC is with ABS and TC, which is why all cars have it now.

[@simonm1447]

The additional stopping distance is on a public road driven with a normal driver more theory, a professional race driver may get the same results (or with multiple attempts even a little bit better) , but a non professional normal car driver has not the skills to beat ABS. You can compare this with fighter aircraft, the 1960 models had no fbw and the performance was strongly dependent on the skills of the pilot, while later models have fbw enabling a care free handling, which helps average pilots to get much better results than in the older models.

[@AxzoYT]

@@peterleblanc661 My car doesn't have ABS, you just have to find the point right before they start to lock up.

[@GENKI_INU]

I'm sure for 95% of drivers, ABS is going to both reduce braking distance AND increase control. That's all that matters and it SHOULD be mandatory.

[@rarelyaccurate6252]

Great demo. I've never had a non abs car and never appreciated how much of a difference it would make

[@reececulver3606]

I thought this would be a comparison between professional racing braking techniques and ABS.

[@repairdrive]

Same. Its more like a complete novice without ABS vs. ABS.

[@FinalFastasyFan]

@@repairdrive true but it shows that having abs is absolutely something that should be in every daily vehicle so if someone is to tell you otherwise you would know they are lying

[@5Siver]

At least it shows the impact on daily drivers. Not everyone is a professionnal driver on the road.

[@sparky8455]

He sacrificed his tires for our education.

[@easygoingdude9990]

6:28 When you care more about a tripod than Richard Hammond 😂

[@mafiousbj]

I remember during college a friend crashed into a car in front during a sudden stop on the highway while I was riding shotgun. I was left wondering how had he managed to crash if he had plenty of distance. Turns out I was used to my car which had ABS and his didn´t. I was just judging braking distances with my car in my mind! After that I thanked my dad who always focused on safety when buying my first car, a trend I still continue today :)

[@sunilawati7961]

why are you use a shortgun to shoot your college friend had an accident car crashed?

[@mafiousbj]

@@sunilawati7961 "riding shotgun" is an informal term to say I was in the front passenger seat. In the US kids and teens will usually shout "shotgun!". There's an implicit rule that the first one to say it in a group of friends or family gets to sit on the front passenger seat which is usually more comfortable. Hopefully that clears your confusion.

[@ibrahimanimasahun9431]

@@mafiousbj 🤣🤣🤣 that's funny

[@eddy0803]

I reckon a good test would be a few handling test with and without stability control on

[@OVERDRIVE.studios]

Yes agreed, with a regular drive and maybe a pro too?

[@UTubeSL]

@@OVERDRIVE.studios great idea.

[@UncIe_Drew]

@@OVERDRIVE.studios yeah both would be ideal.

[@06dpa]

I love that in the final test you made Hammond the right size.

[@jamesbennett3262]

ABS actually increases you're braking distances on loose surfaces like dirt roads, in which case you are better off locking the wheels to dig the tires into the gravel

[@SHENGEsiyabonga]

I drive a 2003 Toyota with no ABS. As much as I hate driving in wet condition, I really appreciate that it taught me about Threshold breaking and caution driving ⚠️

[@ericsson_motorsports]

You mentioned threshold braking in the intro so could you do a test where you compare it to ABS? Every ABS test I've seen is like this where ABS is compared to non-ABS brakes which are completely slammed instead of the driver trying to manage the brakes

[@davidp4270]

I can stop far faster in my car manually controlling the brakes no abs then with abs on you gotta keep it right on the edge of slipping to stop the fastest

[@MMOPhotos]

@@davidp4270 The thing is that ABS can do it again, and again and again, and for any kind of driver... We tend to think that everyone drives as good as one, but then again, youtube is filled with ppl crashing into other ppl and stuff ...

[@dekoldrick]

@@MMOPhotos And a lot of those crashes are cars with ABS because the drivers aren't paying attention to enough to use the brakes.

[@MMOPhotos]

@@dekoldrick That is true... I've seen ridiculously stupid crashes where the driver just slams to the brake and does not even attempt to turn or anything and so they go, nose down, bottom up and crashing hard with the car / object in front of them... it's even funnier when they actually manage to slow enough and end up crashing at 5/10mph... it's like "dude... seriously??"

[@manutd19999]

@@davidp4270 you are still not better than abs is everyday use.

[@Saraseeksthompson0211]

This is why I always tell lads who want to take it off of their cars to leave it well alone. It makes a huge difference and has saved many lives since it was widely implemented.

[@Taorakis]

Aww man, i would've loved to have you compare "No ABS but No Lockup" Breaking as well, because even off the Racetrack people do this, and that would've been great to know how this compared to ABS. I did that back in my Golf 3 which didn't have ABS and as you mention briefly, it becomes instinct to go off the break and check were the limit is.

[@HloniEh_Eleven_Molefe]

As a none-car guy, I just want to say, this was really informative, I had no idea that brakes had so much science and shenanigans going on when you hit the brakes. you got my like.

[@DrDeuteron]

"Imagine you're driving along and a tractor pulls out in front of you..." ..OK...[closes eyes], so I'm, in Russia.....

[@Nox_Desiree]

Literally anywhere in eastern Europe.

[@chadbeaver9199]

Nah just Oklahoma

[@MJM17]

@@chadbeaver9199 not a totally equal comparison. Farmers in OK are smart enough to not do donuts on a 5 lane highway. There’s a big difference between pulling a tractor out onto a road and what the maniac in the video did!

[@chadbeaver9199]

@@MJM17 you ain't been in Oklahoma for a while have ya? I saw a guy do that in Lindsay a few months ago. We got guys shutting down i35 and i240 to do burnouts and donuts. No sir that all happens here, just not in Norman, Moore, or OKC, aka little California.

[@davidgrisez]

I am glad that modern cars have anti-lock braking systems. Since I was born in 1951 I remember the days before cars had ABS. In these old cars applying the brakes in panic stop resulted in 4 wheel lockup as seen in this video. My first two cars did not have ABS. My third car a 1992 Ford Crown Victoria had ABS. Every car since then had ABS and the latest car has traction control also. With ABS you just have to get used to the rapid pulsation of the brake pedal and vibration of the car as it comes to a stop.

[@dadhats]

would love to see threshold braking vs abs braking on track. long straight into tight turn kinda thing?

[@justinreedflynn]

I plan on making an "old car" my daily-driver, and this subject has been really bothering me- "New cars with ABS stop MUCH FASTER than old cars w/o ABS... How often will I NEED anti-lock brakes???" Obviously, you're a race-car driver & not a "hot-rodder", so the importance of this test for day-to-day life probably didn't occur to you, but what it reminds ME is "always have a path out,"; & I thank you for reminding me of that and posting this. World-Wide Wheeled-Warriors!

[@weignerleigner3037]

Hamilton’s looking at those tyres right now and shaking his head

[@J2540-]

Baku 2021

[@davidakulian]

Excellent comparison! Thank you!

[@sammerry7706]

I would be very interested in seeing how effective ESC is at improving cornering in the real world, that in your list??

[@rickyjames4594]

Hey how are you doing

[@evanlucas8914]

I wish more serious driving tasks like this would be required for licensing. I took an emergency vehicle operators course as part of training for my job. The familiarity I gained with what a car can handle and the spacial awareness of the car was amazing. We did a section like this so we understood that we can manuever through ABS braking. We charged forward at a wall of comes about 6ft wide. When we were less than a car length away (going about 30mph) the instructor told us to go left or right at random. You had to stand on the brakes and steer the car around the cones without losing control. Surprisingly it was easy to do. I often wonder how many accidents could be prevented if people had that understanding of how the car operates on its margins.

[@Torashin1]

“Im a professional racing driver” *Proceeds to lock up every time he tries to brake*

[@prakesh2904]

He said that he slammed on the brakes, meaning that he tried to lock up in that scenario

[@thatoneguy611]

Damn. It’s almost as if his goal was to lock up the wheels to show the difference slamming on the brakes the same amount without ABS.

[@Torashin1]

@@thatoneguy611 Yes but that's not the question we want answering! We want to know how ABS compare to threshold braking. ABS is obviously better than locking up! Just look at the top rated comments if you don't believe me.

[@gearhead366]

I have an NC Miata. I'm glad to see that it's ABS is as good as it is. Another consideration... Before ABS, auto makers HAD to almost guarantee that the front wheels locked up before the rears. Otherwise, the vehicle could get into a spin, which resulted in lawsuits. Regardless of how many people were in the vehicle, how many were in the back, how wet the road was. Or in the case of trucks, how much weight is in the bed, etc. So the brakes were always biased more toward the front than optimum for braking on dry pavement. ABS allows car makers to bias the brakes for optimum braking in the most common conditions, with the ABS taking care of the other conditions. Great video! Thanks.

[@RallyJunkies]

Nice test, and good explanation of ABS. I think that ABS is better only in perfect condition for average drivers. What will happen if one tire is on gravel, or snow or you have very bumpy section. Tire with lowest traction will activate ABS and it will release pressure in main breaking cilindar. This culd leade to catastrofic results for ABS, and you will beat it without hitch...

[@mugurlutr9208]

Been driving for nearly 2 years now, driving a Golf Plus 2006. ABS system really makes a different, it only engaged 3 times when I drove and it helped me avoid a chain crash, an amateur driving braking for no reason and a red light runner. Even though I'd say my braking skills are nearly as good as the ABS, it still really works like a charm in scenarios not even my own skills are enough

[@mob1235]

The test is missing, where he brakes without ABS but tries not to lock the wheels. If its better or worse than ABS under these controlled conditions

[@tbas8741]

People going on about threshold braking. 90% of normal drivers are not going the feather the brakes perfectly to avoid locking up in an emergency or when they fall asleep at the wheel.

[@kalle5548]

Yes, and also on slippery and irregular surfaces, like an icy and snowy road with some gravel on it and a slight curve, not even Max Verstappen would outperform ABS, since it has individual wheel control

[@realElectroZap]

6:45 i like how the engine also goes "nooooooooooooooo"

[@itforeveryone5370]

Because of this I understand ABS now. Most informative video.

[@shutu6338]

[@OAde-nq9vo]

Now I have a better understanding of how to drive without the abs after understanding how abs works. Thanks!🙏

[@Photoandcargeek]

In no way is threshold braking as good as ABS... Sure a pro driver will come close on a known track after many laps but no human on the planet has the reaction time of a modern ABS which checks if the wheels are locked dozens of times a second and can slightly release the brakes multiple times a second and with greater accuracy than any foot! ABS is amazing and there are no reason to disconnect it even for prep drivers when the regulations allow them to have the system on board. (I have a vintage car that has an ABS on/off switch! Although that was a very early ABS system so it probably isn't as good as what is available now, but it could still be better than a pro driver...)

[@oliviero46]

Hey! Didn't you notice all those Senna/Schumacher reincarnation in the comments?🤣 Speaking from experience (many hours on track when I was younger and working on side tracks), in reality pro drivers/race pilots CAN outperform ABS. Imagine 100% is the perfect brake while 100% is a lockup. ABS would ALWAYS hit a good 95%, which is enough in a normal pubblic road. Race pilots can CONSISTENCY hit something between 96-98% . BUT... They are pilots, people who memorized every single inches of a track after spending a lifetime marking the laps over laps. Nothing comparable to us mortals🤣

[@Photoandcargeek]

@@oliviero46 actually now abs always gets 99%-100% if setup properly, which it is on race cars in the race categories in which it is allowed. So no, race drivers like to think they can beat it but they can't, the foot isn't precise enough and they don't react in the hundredth or thousandth of a second

[@mickjager5974]

I read a book on driving in HS during the 70s that saved me a big wreck. I learned that a front wheel that was locked up during braking would not allow you to steer because it would just follow the path of least resistance and not the direction the wheel was pointed. Shortly after I wasn't paying attention and was about to rear end a car that had stopped in front of me. I slammed on brakes, locking the front wheels(it was a wet road) and although I turned the steering wheel to go around, my car was still heading toward the stopped. I suddenly remembered what I had read, released the brakes and swerved around the car with no problem. Although that prevented a wreck, it didn't prevent a lot of seat pucker!

[@williamallen7836]

This video should have titled, "Braking with ABS vs Improper Braking" My youngest vehicle is a 1992 model year without ABS. One just simply does not brake in this method if they bothered to learn the basics of driving. Modulate your break preasure and counter steering are part of basic driving skills. Even without braking, if you enter a slide in bad weather you need to know how to counter steer. Although the most vital driving skill is learning to drive in a manner that you are not having unforseen "emergencies" multiple times a week just driving to & from work. I put in quotes because if you are regularly having emergencies, the problem is you. Not others drivers, or pesky situations "out of your control" If we truely enforced driving laws, and made people take responsibility for thier actions and choices while driving, we would see people's behaviors change significantly. For example, an injury colision with a distracted driver (cell phone, etc) a criminal charge of assault with a deadly weapon should happen. If the same type of colision involves a fatality, a charge of manslaughter. That's accountability, and enforcing the laws. At this point everyone knows distracted driving not ony causes collisions, but it causes serious injuries & death. So the choice to drive distracted is a wilful & negligent disregard for the lives of other drivers. Pure & simple as that. Not learning to safely operate one's vehicle should be treated in the same manner. In nearly every State in the USA the very law regarding driving makes it the legal responsibility of the driver to operate thier vehicle safely, and avoid collisions. This law is rarely enforced, and high vehicle collisiom injury and death rate is what we have to show for this lack of enforcement.

[@ligerone2154]

That was my thought exactly. It's hard to believe that a professional race car driver could keep a job with braking like that. Good braking is not just a matter of standing on the pedal with all your might, though that is a viable option with ABS. This video was pretty much a total waste. If this is the quality of comparison testing, I don't see any reason to return to this channel.

[@williamallen7836]

@@ligerone2154 unfortunately KZbin channels have become about entertainment, not information. So as long as it is done in an entertaining manner they remain popular regardless of the flaws, and lack of real informative information.

[@jorgenblomqvist2654]

I hear you but it's time to unlearn how to brake. At least for myself. I didn't have ABS until I was 40. If I continue to use my current car with ABS with my old braking style. I will lose stopping distance. How much is up for debate. I just hope when the time comes that I press hard enough to engage ABS and stay there with my foot. When I'm about to replace my tires the next time. I will spend a few hours just doing ABS braking. Since it's in the spine and it will be hard to unlearn it.

[@williamallen7836]

@@jorgenblomqvist2654 I have driven cars with ABS (rentals & family's cars) I never had an issue with breaking correctly. Well, with modern cars at least. Old late 1980's to mid 1990's ABS systems were horrible. The ABS would be defeated if you used your breaks correctly. It was a limit of the analog ABS systems & early computer controlled ABS. The modern systems sample the wheel speed and break line peasure far faster, and don't suffer from this. You can modulate your break preasure, and it will still work if the wheels start to lock up. You get the best of both worlds. The ability to drive safely, and have a system that saves your bacon in a worst case situation. Counter steering isn't an issue since you only do so if you starting to slide.

[@jorgenblomqvist2654]

@@williamallen7836 It's not just about ABS when it comes to stoppage distance. Reaction time is at least equal important as ABS to avoid collisions. We have an electric car that everyone uses when available. It has autonomous braking. Saved me once from hitting a car reversing out from driveway. Too many cars parked on street and landscaping. So the car was way faster than me to apply the brakes. Won't buy another car without that feature. I can say with 100% that it would have been a collision without autonomous braking.

[@youngg5099]

Amazing video. I was really struggling with the whole idea of ABS for my driving theory test but now I fully understand it. thanks!

[@ПётрБ-с2ц]

I would love to see at least a minimal effort with ABS off instead of just flooring the pedal.

[@judgesh]

While that would be interesting to see, most people on the road would panic and floor the brake pedal to avoid hitting another car or object in the road. This is more of a public roads explanation than a track-focused explanation.

[@BpgaMusic]

absolutely terrifying. great video!

[@wirebrush]

We frequently get conditions here in the winter that causes abs to greatly extend braking distance. The state puts deicing chemicals down when temps are too low which causes snow to stick to the roads and build up in a consistency much like beach sand. There is traction available under it and locking the wheels up gets the tires down to that grip, but abs causes the tires to ride back up on the granular snow as soon as they start to carve down into it. It's very frustrating.

[@silversonic99]

None of that makes sense. Just drive slower.

[@teddym2808]

When I did my first advanced drivers course I was taught to pump and pulse as fast and hard as I could in an emergency braking scenario (pre owning a car with ABS, I only had a Commodore VK back then). ABS is even more beneficial in the wet. Modern cars have brake assistance so it's not as if you can find a sweet spot like in your race car. They will apply maximum braking force without maximum pedal force.

[@JNatella]

what happened to that whole "race car drivers learn threshold braking" thing

[@soloqVenu]

I have experienced this. My Tucson ABS was not working and I ignored it and went to the highway. A big mistake and I could not break at one point and barely escaped out of an accident. I would never drive a car without an ABS. This made me realize how awesome cars are normally. I can appreciate the benefit. Every time I break I thank of ABS.

[@Refort610]

I would like to see a test of threshold braking vs modern day ABS. Early days of ABS no doubt had longer braking distance, but I'm curious if modern day ABS can actually out perform threshold braking.

[@seankearney6915]

A lot of tests have been done with both motorcycles and cars. Certainly on Motorcycles even the MOTO GP riders admit they can't beat ABS. In theory threshold braking should be as good or marginally better as there is no off time on the brakes. In practice it is not repeatable and it doesn't really matter who you are if you catch leaves at the side of the road or a mixed surface you only have one foot on the pedal so if you threshold or cadence brake to the wheel that is slipping you are missing out on good braking on the wheels that weren't. 4 channel ABS gets round that by only pumping the wheel that needs to be pumped. 2 channel diagonally split used to pump the opposite rear to whatever it was doing with the front. So if the front slipped it pumped a rear that didn't need to be pumped. And if the rear only slipped it probably wasn't doing much braking anyway and just locked because it was lightly loaded. (It was mainly small front wheel drive cars that had the 2 channel system).

[@IanRamon]

i had no ideea. ABS is awesome makes me sort of a professional race driver while braking :) thanks for the video !!

[@mrsiersciu]

Scott, that's a great video, especially when you show how easily the car can rotate even when braking in a straight line. I'd love to see a comparison between ABS and and your breaking (but doing your best rather than locking up). Perhaps also attempted with an average driver.

[@rickyjames4594]

Hey how are you w

[@rickyjames4594]

Doing

[@piemasta93]

loved the explanation of abs to a pro driver in first 90 seconds. brilliant

[@HazewinDog]

Would have been more interesting to see your unpractised, but best attempts vs ABS. As you said, you are a professional driver, so a best-case scenario for not having ABS. You also mentioned that non-ABS braking is virtually impossible to get right in a new situation, even if you know the car. Therefore, I would love to see you try out what you can do in new situation, and then compare it to one with ABS. Additionally, I would love to see two more representations added. Someone who is not new to spirited driving, who has perhaps done some autocross and/or karting, but does not have professional experience dealing with non-ABS braking. The last representation I would like to see is 'the layman'. Your average driver on the road. I think this would really show that ABS is not a joke. IT's not as simple as many people think. there's so much more to it than "just pump the brake pedal" which you still hear a lot, or "just modulate your braking". Perhaps you could also add in a section where you compare your own performance to your performance in a car that you haven't driven before. Would love to hear your thoughts.

[@GabrielWeed]

Braking physics on a bicycle is interesting in that the front and rear brakes operate independently, meaning you can test the braking demand required to stop more suddenly based on how much force you apply to the front and rear. It's a great way to understand how inertia results in different braking limitations for front and rear tires.

[@howiem3883]

Back when I was young, in pre-ABS days, I was taught to pump the brake pedal, especially on snow or wet surfaces. Same result as ABS, but much cheaper. Now, we are substituting thinking and training with technology. ABS does work pretty well.....until it breaks. Then it gets costly. I own a vehicle without ABS to this day.

[@roflchopter11]

ABS is more effective than manually pumping. Good ABS is better than threshold braking. That's why ABS was used on F1 until they banned it along with all driver aids.

[@howiem3883]

@@roflchopter11 Tell me how effective yours is when the module fails and it costs you 500 bucks.

[@roflchopter11]

@@howiem3883 150k miles and still going. But it'll revert to non-ABS operation, as demonstrated by this video of what happens when you pull the fuse.

[@howiem3883]

@@roflchopter11 And you will continue to drive. How about that.....

[@roflchopter11]

@@howiem3883 brakes only hold you back, after all.

[@hirtisrandolph4843]

Though the initial brake might not have started at the same time, and though tire degradation was extremely critical (as you can see in the closeup right after the ABS test) letting off the brake for a moment, turning and reapplying brake just 1 time STILL produced better results than not releasing the brake. Assuming early start factors, equal conditions, and accurate distance measurements; 70 mph is 31 m/s. Currently, US safety ratings informally prefer manufacturer's produce braking systems that can stop a car within the same # of meters as the # of miles per hour (with ABS). This includes an estimate on how fast the driver can identify an issue and begin braking. By that measure, ABS passes and non-ABS failed (as 10 meters or .3 seconds is not enough time to see AND react). What can be done in .3 seconds is a brake pulse. If within the first second of braking, the wheels lock up, and the vehicle skids as it slows to 35 mph, releasing the brake for .3 seconds (5 meters) and reapplying the brake could reduce the overall stopping distance by 5-10 meters, as demonstrated. Not braking for 15 feet could make the second braking distance 15 feet shorter? Yes. The initial pressure on the brake pedal, lines and pads are gradual, so your most effective braking is reached just before wheel lock up, twice if you pump the brakes. Releasing the brakes also has the effect of shifting the vehicle weight and kinetic energy further away from the nose, allowing rear drum/pad brakes (if applicable) to be more effective on the next attempt. There is little heat gain on the brakes while the rotors aren't moving, even with the strain of resisting motion, because most of the heat energy is transferring between the road and the bottom of the tires; engineered for, but not ideal. Pumping the brakes balances where the wear and strain is applied to the system, helping avoid other "catastrophic failures".

[@TheMuddatrucker]

How are any of these tests fair? You didn’t even try to slow the car quickly without abs, You purposely made it slide as far as possible. No one who drives an non abs car would brake like that.

[@pranavps851]

If the driver is panicking, yes they would. That's the point of ABS.

[@TheMuddatrucker]

@@pranavps851 I’m not saying that you’re wrong but the point in this video was to test the efficiency of abs over non abs. It was an unfair test because he didn’t even try to brake smoothly/quickly in the non abs car. I agree some people will panic brake like this but that’s not the cars fault is it, I think we should base a test like this on there being a reasonable standard of driver being behind the wheel.

[@jojorobino5312]

On rougher/thick road conditions like gravel, deep snow or back roads, no abs stops much faster than abs. But again you dont get steering control if the wheel is locked hence why threshold braking which is the most efficient method.

[@J-theSloth]

I’d love to see the “downside” in a race environment. Try a lap with and without and see how a driver uses the brakes differently. There is no doubt ABS is better for any public driving, but I want to see why it’s not used in racing.

[@christophgollob3118]

Main reason is regulation. With ABS there are easily also traction controls included which both brings clear benefits but with a lot of engineering effort

[@Fred_the_1996]

They're not used in racing so that it's morw about the pilot, you have to know how to not lock up

[@themuddyshoe8763]

Generally when I engage abs full brake applications I'm on surfaces with uneven traction because of snow, ice loose gravel etc... I find that abs brakes according to the worst surface and therefore slower than threshold braking with one side on a better surface. I've pulled my abs fuse to compare and I stop quicker without abs.that being said most urban drivers don't deal with the same circumstances and abs is a great option. Abs systems are still improving and may be able to regulate braking on uneven traction surfaces better than the systems I am familiar with.

[@gobblefunkfrothbungler8948]

"RICHARD NO!!!"...

[@luke12689]

Love the test, pretty much what i expect. Race track you don't have to worry about some road traffic conditions and ABS will help so much...

[@rickyjames4594]

Hey how are you doing

[@funitoo]

"I'm a pro driver" locks the brakes completely.... my grandma can brake better.

[@GENKI_INU]

Tires provide the most g-force potential at their limit of grip just before slipping. Not only does breaking traction reduce possible g-forces, but locking up the tires also rapidly overheats them. Overheated tire compounds provide even less grip. The best ABS systems can keep it right near the limit of grip, thus being controllable with steering and extracting the most g-forces possible out of your tires.

[@JamesMartland65]

Great video. Lockups were for the visual impact I'm sure, but they did the job! Brilliant to see the ABS in action with the directional changes. I've had a couple of pre-ABS 'events' and had the composure to make a brake-or-not decision, never just locked up in panic. BUT, that's a crap situation to be in and I thank my lucky stars I'm still here. Post ABS I would just plant my foot through the floor, I've always trusted the tech but this video ramps that trust up a notch.

[@rickyjames4594]

Hey how are you doing

[@daveholmes5540]

I think you need to address the main topics, the ones everyone wants to know. Which airfreshener is the best and which car has the best cup holders.

[@TonyJer04]

😂

[@koopalovetoast2409]

My driving instructor told us that abs will slow you down worse but makes steering possible.. Apparrently he lied.

[@stayontrack]

it slow you down worse compared to treshold breaking or cadence breaking with ABS no so he is right, but those are advanced techniques that most drivers don't know about or can't do

[@timdaniels2094]

Thanks!

[@OVERDRIVE.studios]

Thanks so much Tim!

[@poidem_domoi]

thanks a lot to people who have invented this. you are a life savers, guys, not just engineers

[@journeymanMT]

I'd like to see some comparisons with driving on gravel, and mixed gravel / pavement. I've experienced real problems with cars like Subarus in such conditions. Pulling off of pavement onto a paved turnout, but which had a few pieces of gravel on the paved surface. Real problems resulted!

[@BigStreams_]

Obviously abs is better than fully locking up the wheels. But is it better than you can stop if you actually try to stop as fast as possible (without locking up the wheels like a Neanderthal) while abs is off?

[@vicsh4581]

exactly what I'm thinking. 😁

[@josecfish5297]

There was a time when all cars had no ABS and people where better drivers had the common sense to not just slam on there brakes in case of slippery conditions or extreme stoping but now we really on technology to make the thinking for us 😂

[@user-mn8lz7gf6d]

really nice work on the first lock-up It looks like you still had minimal control on the angle of the car, it did straighten out when you corrected.

[@makantahi3731]

nice, i expacted less diference between abs/non abs, but it is big because high speed and when rubber melts, it slides like on oil, similar thing happens on wet when water starts to evaporate under wheel and lifts it up

[@MsHojat]

One thing you should have noted is that it depends on the surface you're driving on. If you do this on an icy road you'll get the opposite effect on stopping distance (although you will at least still have more steering control with ABS)

[@PraiseJesusChrist2024]

I learned threshold breaking in an integra with a faulted abs. Its terrifying when u lock up but when you start testing the tolerances of your breaks you learn quick

[@paulwharton1850]

Excellent video - Really well done & great clarity. Many thanks !

[@edisonchia7038]

I am here because today I got into an accident with a car that has no fucking abs🙃 now I know how important it is to drive a car with abs. Hard lesson learned.

[@Mikatiini]

When I was in driving school I was taught pump braking without ABS. And you don't slam on the brakes when braking in a straight line. You have to be progressive to allow the weight to move to front wheels. How about revisiting this...

[@jakemj03]

Great video! Try ABS in gravel or snow - your stopping distances will be much farther!

[@jorgenblomqvist2654]

I think that ABS might lose when braking in gravel/small pebbles. Since the buildup in front of a locked tire helps to stop the car.

[@FRUGALWITHJOHN]

My 2001 has ABS but in certain conditions I need to use the park/hand and foot brake to stop, the ABS will not allow the vehicle to stop. Over all it works good, braking and turning when trying to avoid an abject on dry roads. I was going to remove the fuse but it works really well on the highway. (Edit, I been driving this SUV for 17 years)

[@raygale4198]

Unplugging the ABS system also kills the brake bias/balance control, a feature normally done by a pressure control valve or car body height valve in a non ABS equiped car. As you yourself stated many times, your natural reaction is to lift off the pedal to release the brakes this is also the reaction of anyone taught to drive a pre ABS car, it was part of driving instruction. ABS has it's benefits for sure, deskilling drivers being one.

[@kevenharvey9711]

Where I used to live, there was a couple of downhill stop signs, they would get icy in the winter, I had to brake significantly sooner with abs, it just doesn't freaking brake. The only workaround was to do threshold braking, it made it a little less bad.

[@robjuhasz2462]

My experience is with a 2000 blazer and a 2018 crv. In the snow if one wheel slips the pedal kicks up and you slide into the intersection, just crazy.

[@DozerBuckleUp]

The only moment you didn't take into consideration is that cars without abs has pressure regulator between front and rear axles, and it does great job in providing stability and predictity of power breaking. In cars with abs role of that regulator is done by abs. So, that test doesn't show the full picture of the topic of the video

[@timothybayliss6680]

I had an Ae140 corolla and was terrified of the ABS system. There was no steering angle sensor and if you wanted to steer on a surface that was anything other than dry pavement you had to be below lock threshold. Hitting the brakes, the ABS system would force the car to travel in a strait line. If one tire loses grip, like it would if youre trail braking, the ABS makes every tire turn at the same speed. I hated it, i went through stop signs in the snow all the time because it would take three times the distance as using the parking brake alone. I got use to pulling the parking brake, defeating the ABS and allowing me to lock all four wheels when i felt the popcorn under the pedal and all i wanted to do was stop. It was remarkably easy for me to test this, my driveway entered the roadway on a northfacing hill and would typically have a small amount of ice in the afternoon outside the travelled portion of the road. As soon as i would turn into the drive, if i was touching the brakes at all the steering would fade and the car would go strait. I couldnt stop on the downward slope with the abs active, nor turn into my driveway. It was garbage.

[@Kedvespatikus]

This vid was fun to view..and also apparently fun to make. Thank you, sir, for the great work, it earned my subscription..

[@dstarfire42]

Try doing this in a 2000's era Toyota Avalon. If one wheel hits a patch of ice or mud, you suddenly have NO brakes. So many times I've wished there was a switch to just turn the stupid thing off. Sadly, it was designed for old people, so the emergency/parking brake is one of those old-style ratcheting pedals in the left/rear of the floor.

[@fineth9319]

This channel deserves my subscription