Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/147778
How It Works by Tom Kelley In Control Electronic Stability Systems A ll too frequently, available safety technologies for trucks take a back seat to other features driven by regulations or economics, at least until a particular safety system becomes mandated by regulation. Among the safety technologies that are currently optional, but could soon be mandated, are stability control systems. Made possible by the advent of mandated engine controls, and mandated anti-lock brake systems (ABS), the stability control systems leverage the existing hardware of the mandated systems, sometimes with little additional physical hardware, to bring added safety without significantly added cost. The same hardware that the ABS system uses to measure wheel speed and modulate braking pressure to prevent skidding caused by a locked wheel, can also be used to apply braking to specific wheels, independent of any input from the driver, preventing loss of control due to excessive lateral force (jackknife, spin-out, oversteer/understeer). 30 how it works 0813.indd 1 Typically, the only major components required to add stability control to an ABS configuration are a steering sensor to determine where the driver intends the vehicle to go, and a yaw sensor to determine what direction the vehicle is actually going. By adding a more advanced yaw sensor, and a connection to the engine control computer to allow de-throttling the engine in extreme cases, the stability control system can provide enough intervention to prevent most rollover incidents. While no electronic control system can negate the laws of physics and prevent all accidents, the vast majority of stability loss accidents occur near the threshold of control, and thus can be prevented by early detection and quick intervention, before most drivers are aware of the loss of control. Granted, the best drivers should never get into a situation where the stability system needs to intervene, but it's better to have the capability and not need it, than to need it and not have it. ◆ www.studentdriverplacement.com August '13 7/19/13 10:05 AM