**Automobile!** 

The very first thing that comes to mind on seeing that word is a car. Maybe a saloon car, an SUV or even a truck! Or is it a Toyota, Mercedes, or simply the “wagon of folks” Volkswagen? Well, a whole lot of those speed (or not) machines are automobiles. I would like to talk about a specific system in the automobile but I can’t seem to be able to ignore the beauty in that word “AUTOMOBILE” (I am literally smiling right now!). Well, maybe because I am just fresh out of the university with a degree in mechanical engineering or maybe I just love cars!

So lets get to it (I’m satisfying my fetish lol). An [automobile](Wikipedia.org/wiki/car) also referred to as a car is a wheeled motor vehicle that is basically used for transportation. In the history books, the automobile came into the lives of the human race in the 20th century and has stayed till now. With the birth year of the modern car tagged at 1886 when **Karl Benz** invented the [Benz Patent-Motorwagen](Wikipedia.org/wiki/benz_patent-motorwagen) (personally, I think he was afraid of the horses). 


https://steemitimages.com/DQmcmQxtYKZoXxinV6g5RBkcHkuwRhJfhBhYAsfadKtiGWA/oil-change-36096__340.png
[image source](https://pixabay.com/en/oil-change-changing-oil-mechanic-36096/)

With improvement in technology as the years go by, the automobile industry has thrived and is aimed at ensuring safety, comfort, <i>**speed**</i> and luxury to the human race. 

Talking about speed; at any point in time, while driving the automobile (imagine yourself on a free highway) , there may arise the need to abruptly stop or slow down the vehicle (which simply requires the use of the brake pedal). But imagine a case where there is a sudden need to “brake” or the road is slippery, wet or frozen and after the pedal is pressed, the vehicle skids uncontrollably off the road. This *skidding* is usually as a result of the vehicle wheels *locking* due to the suddenness of the braking action or the high speed at which the braking was done.

In earlier days, driving is such situation requires some high level of driving experience where the driver applies what is known as [**cadence braking**](Wikipedia.org/wiki/cadence_braking), the type of braking that involves repeatedly releasing and reapplying of the brakes. But you can agree with me that not every driver is experienced or professional and as such, not everyone would be able to apply cadence braking in the eventuality of such incidents and thus, the need for the **A.B.S**.

<div class="pull-right"><center><img src="https://steemitimages.com/DQmdE5Cn4uNCEfEmRYcqCNypgsmDwR6EihY92883rEPN2hf/Antilock_Braking_System.svg.png" /><br/><em><sup><sup><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antilock_Braking_System.svg">
A.B.S symbol. image source: wikipedia commons</a></sup></sup></em></center></div>

## <center> WHAT IS THE A.B.S </center>
A.B.S stands for Anti-lock braking system. Also known as the anti-skid system, it is a safety system in automobiles that ensures that the wheels of a vehicle maintain tractive contact with the road while the driver applies the brakes. The ABS serves to prevent locking of the wheels and the result being the vehicle skidding and an accident might occur. The ABS also serves to enhance driver steering control and decrease stopping distances on slippery roads. 
The A.B.S therefore takes upon itself the “cadence” braking that a professional driver would apply in that situation.
In simpler terms;
> the A.B.S helps the driver to apply and release the brakes in the right frequency to avoid the wheels from locking and the vehicle skidding off the road.

## <center> PARTS OF THE A.B.S </center>
The Anti-lock Braking system is comprised of four major parts which work in coordination to ensure a perfect “braking”.


<div class="pull-right"><center><img src="https://steemitimages.com/DQmdTrzD89vb5tbxYSQJbHhcX9pT1sgxZZ6G1diyx8kxUBY/ABS_Sensor_GM_IMG_0557.JPG" /><br/><em><sup><sup><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ABS_Sensor_GM_IMG_0557.JPG">The speed sensor. Image source: wikipedia commons</a></sup></sup></em></center></div>

* THE SPEED SENSOR
The speed sensors are located at each wheel of the vehicle and as the name implies, they monitor the speed, acceleration and deceleration of each wheel. It basically consists of an electromagnetic coil or magnet and an exciter. As the exciter moves past the coil, pulses of electricity is generated and the fluctuations or spontaneity of this generated pulse is used by the system to determine the speed of the wheels 
* THE VALVES
These are situated in the brake line of each brake that is controlled by the A.B.S system. They serve as air pressure regulators when the A.B.S is in action. The valves have three operating positions; 
* * position 1 where the valvs are completely open and fluid from the brake master cylinder flows through them
* * position 2 where the valves are completely closed and there is no fluid flowing through as the pressure is constrained even if the brake pedal is pressed harder.
* * position 3 where the valves are partially open to allow some of the fluid flow through due to the applied pressure
* THE PUMP
The pump serves the function of restoring the pressure to the brakes after the valves have been released. Thus, after the valve closes and locks the pressure out of the system, the pump serves to restore the required pressure to reduce skidding.
* THE CONTROLLER
As the name implies, the controller “controls” the valves and the pump based on the information gotten from the speed sensors. When it senses that one wheel is slowing down relative to the others, the controller gets a signal which would activate the A.B.S and thus the valves will start switching.
The controller is also known as the C.A.B (Controller Anti-lock Brake)

## <center> HOW THE A.B.S WORKS </center>
When a vehicle is traveling at a particular speed, all the wheels are moving at the same speed and in the event of applying the brake, the speed is gradually reduced. 
If the speed sensors detects a wheel that is rotating slower than the others (relative to the speed of the vehicle) which is an indication of impending wheel lock, the E.C.U actuates the valves in the A.B.S system and the hydraulic pressure applied to the brake of that particular wheel is reduced thus reducing the “braking” force on that wheel thereby causing the wheel to run faster.

In the event of the signal being that a wheel runs faster than others, the brake pressure to the wheel is increased which implies that the braking force is reapplied which slows down the wheel.
The action of the A.B.S is repeated continuously until the wheel speed is balanced and the driver has full control of the vehicle. The A.B.S can apply and release the braking pressure up to about 15 times per second and this relates to the pulsation of pressure on the pedal that can be felt by the driver. 

The anti-lock brake system is usually classified based on the number of sensors and the brakes used.

### <center> ADVANTAGES OF THE A.B.S </center>
Obviously, the A.B.S has the advantage of preventing accidents that may occur due to locking of brakes and eventual skidding of the vehicle. It also saves the driver the stress of having to manually pump the brakes in the event of a locked wheel.

The A.B.S also allows the driver to steer even in slippery conditions thereby making the driver have control over the vehicle at all times.

###  A POINT WORTHY OF NOTE 
One point that is worthy of note is the fact that some car owners see the “A.B.S” sign on their dashboard and wonder what that means as they do not notice anything wrong with the vehicle. Well, the “A.B.S” warning light on your dashboard simply means there is something wrong with the A.B.S system of your vehicle and it should be checked as soon as possible to ensure the A.B.S will work fine when needed.



####  POSSIBLE CAUSES OF AN “ABS” WARNING LIGHT 

<div class="pull-right"><center><img src="https://steemitimages.com/DQmUA48KvuUaEUbCh4i6xqb7UK1Wxyb1SxivFLUicqaHNP5/stock-photo-abs-warning-light-in-car-dashboard-369604016.jpg" /><br/><em><sup><sup><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/abs-warning-light-car-dashboard-369604016?irgwc=1&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=Hans%20Braxmeier%20und%20Simon%20Steinberger%20GbR&utm_source=44814&utm_term="> A.B.S warning light. Image source: pixabay</a></sup></sup></em></center></div>

* Bulb check (the vehicle’s computer is checking the bulb on the dashboard): This requires no repair action as the warning light will go off by itself.
* Low fluid: The brake fluid should be checked and filled accordingly with the specified fluid
* Bad speed sensor: The speed sensor can easily be changed by a mechanic and should not cost too much
* Faulty pump: the pump can also be checked and changed after proper diagnosis by an experienced mechanic
* Faulty control unit: the control unit might be giving false signals and this can also be corrected by a mechanic.
Other factors can also cause an A.B.S malfunction but this can only be ascertained after diagnosis by an auto mechanic. Here are a few tips:
1. It is important to not ignore any warning that is displayed by the vehicle (A.B.S or otherwise)
2. Do not attempt to fix any faulty part of your vehicle by yourself if you are not trained to do so.
3. Ensure to always take your vehicle to experienced and trusted mechanics when required.

**CONCLUSION**

The Anti-lock Brake System is a very important system in the automobile and should not be ignored. It saves the driver a lot of stress and also saves lives as “cadence” braking can only be done by professional drivers and is relatively not as efficient as the A.B.S. 

One can therefore conclude that the A.B.S is a life saver!

**REFERENCES**

[THE A.B.S]( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-lock_braking_system) | [HOW A.B.S WORKS]( https://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-types/anti-lock-brake2.htm) | [Anti-lock Braking System]( https://www.scienceabc.com/innovation/abs-sensors-anti-lock-breaking-system-technology-cars-work.html?isamp=1) | [A.B.S LIGHT]( https://www.lifewire.com/abs-light-on-4125522) | [CADENCE BRAKING](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadence_braking)