Quote:
Originally Posted by highlanderhybrid
How much wheel lock is the Highlander Hybrid supposed to allow?
|
When on very slick surfaces such as ice, the ABS pulsing of the brakes will be at a much slower rate than when on a wet surface with more friction.
The idea behind ABS is for the brake to actuate until the wheel begins to slip- then the brake releases to allow the wheel to begin rotating again - then the brake again actuates until the wheel again slips - and on and on.
On ice, a skidding wheel takes much longer to begin to rotate again after the brake is released because there is not as much friction with the road to get the wheel rotating as quickly. Thus, the ABS pulse rate naturally becomes slower as the road surface becomes more slippery.
The Highlander Hybrid uses the electric motors to help accelerate the wheels during ABS braking activation under very slick conditions by providing some torque to the skidding wheels when the brakes are released during each ABS brake pulse cycle. The faster the wheels can regain rotation between each brake pulse period, the more effictive the ABS effect will be.