traction control and esp
- Thread starter DannyW
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IIRC ESP brakes different wheels at different times to bring the car back into line using yaw sensors, accelerometers, steering angle sensors and gyroscopes. It basically looks at what angle your steering wheel is at and what way you want to go (using the steering wheel sensors), then uses the accelerometers and gyroscopes to look at the way the car is actually going, then brakes the correct wheel(s) to bring it into line with the way you are pointing your steering wheel.
Traction control simply limits the amount of power when you launch so you don't wheel spin.
Its not a case of one being better, but they are different systems. TC, ESP and ABS are all included in cars with ESP.
Traction control simply limits the amount of power when you launch so you don't wheel spin.
Its not a case of one being better, but they are different systems. TC, ESP and ABS are all included in cars with ESP.
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I think they're different, as in DSC is not TC, but I didn't know that until recently when a post I made here got completely misinterpreted
Yeah I think they're different things too.
thinking about it.. there self explanatory, so,
esp would help when swerving around objects ect at speed where you may loose control - it stops/reduces that
tcs would help more in snow/ice but NOT changing direction fast?
am i right?
esp would help when swerving around objects ect at speed where you may loose control - it stops/reduces that
tcs would help more in snow/ice but NOT changing direction fast?
am i right?
Pretty much. TC wouldn't do anything if you started to lose control and skid, it just helps you accelerate on icey surfaces and not just wheelspin. ESP would be the thing that would help bring your car out of the skid and maybe save your ass!
EDIT: i think there is a very informative video on Youtube from when Tiff Needell did a demo on 5th Gear.
EDIT: i think there is a very informative video on Youtube from when Tiff Needell did a demo on 5th Gear.
Traction Control is easy to define. If the car detects one driven wheel spinning at a faster rate than the other under acceleration, or if both the wheels are spinning faster than they should given the distnace being covered, it will cut the power to the appropriate wheel(s) to keep things in check. So this could be taking off from the line in icy conditions or trying to drift the back end out by accelerating hard with some lock on.
My understanding of an electronic stability programme is what gaygle said and then different manufacturers use different terms to define what the combination of ESP, TC and ABS together are (In some cases ESP actually means all three together). For example in my old BMW it was called Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and in my current Merc it is called Active Body Control (ABC), although the active body control also includes some technology to change suspension settings and ride heights to counter mishaps and 'improve' handling at speed (allegedly).
The ESP part certainly helps with the swerving round objects at high speed under braking. On a recent AMG experience day this was demonstrated to me in an excercise where with the ESP equivalent on I could swerve round a wall at 70mph under hard braking and keep the car under control and without it, woosh, off I went in arandom direction in a coud of smoke.
My understanding of an electronic stability programme is what gaygle said and then different manufacturers use different terms to define what the combination of ESP, TC and ABS together are (In some cases ESP actually means all three together). For example in my old BMW it was called Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and in my current Merc it is called Active Body Control (ABC), although the active body control also includes some technology to change suspension settings and ride heights to counter mishaps and 'improve' handling at speed (allegedly).
The ESP part certainly helps with the swerving round objects at high speed under braking. On a recent AMG experience day this was demonstrated to me in an excercise where with the ESP equivalent on I could swerve round a wall at 70mph under hard braking and keep the car under control and without it, woosh, off I went in arandom direction in a coud of smoke.
Soldato
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What does this mean? How does the car calculate distance covered if not through the wheels?
Soldato
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My VR6 has Traction Control but I can easily wheel spin, does that mean its bust?
You can easily wheelspin with TC on but I found different cars TC kicks in at different levels depending on throttle position. On mine with ASC+T for example on loose dirt TC will kick in quickly and cut rear wheels power thus gaining traction but on wet roads wheels will spin for a bit longer before TC kicks in but that's only if you're moving from a standstill.
If the car is moving and you're in 2nd gear going round a roundabout for example and lose traction with car starting to os/us and wheels spin then ASC+T kicks in and balances the car whilst also applying traction control to stop the wheels spinning.
That's what I've noticed in my car over the past 11 months anyway, moreso in the past 2 months with terrible wet southern weather!