Fifth Gear - Bosch ABS, TC, and VSC

[Jimmy]

clicky

[marcusus]

Interesting indeed. When I buy a new car, I'll be sure to buy one with all of this stuff.

I wouldn't mind learning how to do it in the '5 under controlled conditions though, considering I don't have any of those comforts.

[Sasso]

Abs = right foot, Tc = right foot different pedal, Vsc = right and left arm

Seriously though, they're good for the average put your foot through the firewall to stop quickly type people, but its not a substitute for learning about car control. Where did I hear that taxi rollovers massively increased because they though since they had ABS they could go flying around corners, it doesn't make you stop any quicker.

Supporting the video vsc works quite well, my Audi had a nice vsc system and more importantly 4wd, you could drive the thing like your pants were on fire in the wet and it would handle like it was bone dry, within sane limits of course. You can't do the same with an mx5, you will end up in the gutter or facing backwards or both. That's the major difference I found going to the mx5 - lack of confidence in the wet, confidence in the dry however has massively increased, and come on, its Australia, how often does it rain?? *look's outside, doh!*

I'll be making sure my next car either doesn't have it or that it can be turned completely off. Unless of course its sophisticated like the ferrari tc switch allowing a bit of play, but not too much.

[marcusus]

^^^
It's good to learn how to do it, but a computer can do it so much better. You should know that.

The point is that not every car can be used consistently as a track car where you want to control everything. For an absolute every day driver with no track use, you'd want those options.

[Sasso]

^^^
It's good to learn how to do it, but a computer can do it so much better. You should know that.

The point is that not every car can be used consistently as a track car where you want to control everything. For an absolute every day driver with no track use, you'd want those options.

I do know that, which is why I was saying its good, but hate when you can't turn it off.
I wouldn't mind learning how to drift

[Fatty]

good video thanks for posting it.

vsc , dsc or whatever else you want to call it is pretty amazing stuff. a mate of mine has a big new dodge 4wd thingo which we drove up some dirt roads a few months ago to go watch a round of the australian rally championship. he was punting the car around corners on this dirt road and under normal circumstances i would have expected to end up on the side of the road planted into a tree. but this big heavy car just glided across the dirt and steered itself smoothly around these tight corners.

i guess what it comes down to is that with vsc the brakes adjust the bias to each corner. so at any given point you may have front left at 50% front right at 70% rear left at 20% rear right at 40% , or whatever combination you can imagination. that fine level of control is simply not possible by a person stomping on a brake pedal. in a conventional system the amount of brake force from left to right and front to back is fixed and does not alter....

it would be interesting to drive a abs & vsc equipped car on a racetrack and see how it goes thru corners under brakes (where you would normally not be on the brakes at all). you would need to alter your driving style very dramatically but it could lead to some pretty quick lap times !?

[Sasso]

it would be interesting to drive a abs & vsc equipped car on a racetrack and see how it goes thru corners under brakes (where you would normally not be on the brakes at all). you would need to alter your driving style very dramatically but it could lead to some pretty quick lap times !?

Its quite possible, Its kind of like the prodrive car that splits the engine torque around all 4 corners and makes the car stick like glue and go faster around the track. It is also a squirrel mincer.

[JBT]

it would be interesting to drive a abs & vsc equipped car on a racetrack and see how it goes thru corners

The ABS and DSC/TC on the NC MX-5 is excellent fun to use on the track. It's amazing how good the times can be if you get around without it activating. However, it does intrude if you want to go just that bit harder and get on the edge of the adhesion limits.

[PUR157]

Very enlightening video... makes you think very hard about just how safe a car from even 5 years ago is...

The thing that speaks up most for me is the control you get in an emergency situation... sure you can have excellent car control skills... but the safety net they provide is nigh on invaluable... very little compromise for the sake of your life

Ahh I remember when I was first on this forum heralding the heresy of electronic driver aids (NBB vs NA)... but you really can't argue...

[JBT]

IMHO it's an absolute must for all cars as a safety feature. It will save lives and reduce the accident rate.