Cost-Benefit Analysis of Simplified ABS

Anti-skid brake systems (ABS), as offered in German cars, have attained a high technical standard, but make up between 5 and 10 % of the price of the vehicle for the customer. Investigations are therefore being made to establish whether it is possible to have an ABS concept with a simpler, more reasonably priced design, which would nevertheless provide effective vehicle braking controlling.

To this end, on the basis of the Audi 100 system, a cost/benefit analysis is made for several systems, which feature a smaller number of control channels and other components. One of the systems is a completely new concept not as yet published in the relevant literature. This particular system works similar to an amplifier and diagonal control and is referred to as “multiple amplifier control”. This control system ensures that the vehicle keeps a high degree of directional stability and steerability and good deceleration under various driving and braking conditions.