Traction Control Components

Like all safety and regulatory devices in your car, traction control has a number of parts that work together to make sure you're driving safely. As mentioned on the previous page, traction control is basically ABS in reverse; it enhances driving safety by keeping your wheels from slipping when you're accelerating. Even older model cars had a rudimentary traction control system. Ever see an old, rear-wheel-drive muscle car peel out of a parking lot? If the rear end swayed and fishtailed all over the place, that car probably didn't have a limited-slip rear differential. A limited-slip rear differential keeps the car's two rear wheels (where the engine's power is going) turning at the same speed. Limited slip rear differentials are still used in powerful rear-wheel-drive sports cars, but traction control is a much more sophisticated system that's used in all types of cars.

In a basic car setup, there's a mechanical linkage between the throttle and the accelerator pedal. Sometimes, that mechanical link is replaced with an electronic drive-by-wire system. That means that, instead of a direct link from the pedal, to the throttle (which increases the engine power, and thus the force applied to the wheels), you have an electronic connection that sends signals to a sensor. The sensor translates the pressure you put on the accelerator into an electric signal that gets sent to a control unit. The control unit reads the input as well as the feedback from the wheels and routes power to the wheels according to the driver's input and whether or not the wheels are slipping. In cars with traction control, the hydraulic unit that controls the ABS system also gets a traction control component. If the sensor detects too much wheel slippage, it can use the hydraulic ABS unit to apply braking pressure to some (or all) of the wheels.

All of these components work together, constantly monitoring driver inputs and wheel slippage and reacting in a split second if a slippery situation is detected. As a driver, you may notice a traction control light on your dashboard when the system activates, but for the most part, if it weren't for that light, you might not even know that the system was there.

Up next, learn about the benefits of traction control.