Reliability of Daimler-Benz/WABCO Anti-Lock Systems - Five Years of Experience after Production Began

Since 1982 Daimler-Benz is the first commercial vehicle and bus manufacturer to offer modern anti-lock systems (ABS). After several years of development, anti-lock systems have technically matured to be installed upon request in vehicles with air brakes. The installation rate of this safety item has been steadily increasing ever since. The fundamental design and control philosophy of 4- and 6-channel anti-lock systems will be described. Besides a global analysis regarding the failsafe quotas of digitized electronics in road vehicles, the ABS-specific components will be looked at. The gain of safety achieved by the installation of ABS in commercial vehicles and buses will be presented with the aid of computer simulation. A 40-t-truck/trailer combination, with ABS, without ABS and with a partially defect system, will serve as an example to demonstrate the dynamic behavior during “Braking in a Straight Line” and “Braking in a Turn”