Quote:
Originally Posted by brulaz
I believe that stability control and traction control and ABS are all different things.
No idea how stability control works, but it was initially used for roll-over protection in SUV's, but now can be found in many vehicles. Stability control uses all sorts of info, including "wheel speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle sensors, yaw rate and lateral acceleration sensors, and a gyroscopic roll rate sensor."
Apparently new Ford trucks have integrated their built-in brake controller with their stability control system so that if a trailer starts to sway, it is detected by the stability control system (somehow), and the trailer brakes are applied. Here's a pdf found via google: Ford Trailer Sway Control
And here's the video:
It amazes me the technology they're putting in vehicles these days. I just wish the trailer's themselves would catch up. |
Hello Bruce,
Thank you for the information. Very interesting. You are right - they keep adding ever more sophisticated controls in cars to provide better handling/safety.
I would agree that the stability control uses additional sensors beyond the wheel rotation sensors. The Ford website was interesting and so was the youtube video. However, there was precious little details on how the system detects sway. From what I could gather, it would be likely that the system was detecting TM sway when TM was in a tight turn even though there was no sway. As the poster noted, the system probably applied the brakes thinking the TM was swaying even though it wasn't. As far as I am concerned, this is a design or adjustment failure of the system. I would not want to have the brakes applied when there was no need - it could be dangerous or at least unnerving for the driver.
As systems get more and more sophisticated, unwanted side effects are more likely to creep in - IMHO.
Thanks again for the information.
Take care,
Phil