Professional Documents
Culture Documents
"Traction Control System": Ballari Institute of Technology & Management
"Traction Control System": Ballari Institute of Technology & Management
A Seminar Report
On
“TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM”
Submitted by
K MOHAMMED MUBASHIR HUSSAIN
USN:3BR19ME023
B Jayaprakash Asst.Prof
2022-23
BASAVARAJESWARI GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS
BALLARI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
NACC Accredited Institution*
(Recognized by Govt. of Karnataka, approved by AICTE, New Delhi & Affiliated
to Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi)
"JnanaGangotri" Campus, No.873/2, Ballari-Hospet Road,
Allipur, Ballar1-583 104 (Karnataka) (India)
Ph: 08392 – 237100 / 237190, Fax: 08392 – 237197
CERTIFICATE
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
2. Introduction 03
3. History 04
4. Literature survey 05
7. Case studies 07
8. Scope 08
9. Summary of review 09
13. Applications 14
14. Reference 15
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS
A TOPIC SEMINAR ON
Vijay S
(USN – 4PS07ME093)
P.E.S.C.E. Mandya.
ABSTRACT:
deaths that occur on the road, accounting for 94 percent. With over half a million car
wrecks every year, safety aspects, such as traction control, are being constantly developed
to keep drivers safer. By understanding modern-day safety features, drivers can stay well-
informed of potential aftermarket options for their vehicles to keep them safe. Traction
Control Systems is the modern day solution to the problems such as unnecessary skids
power loss due to less traction and railway track traction control. Whilst the old methods
such as limited slip differentials are getting inefficient to handle the critical driving
situations, need for a more advanced traction control system arises and henceforth comes
into picture the Electronic Traction Control System or the TRAC System.
This paper puts light to the modern Traction Control system basics, working,
benefits and applications while appreciating the history of the traction control systems
4
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS
INTRODUCTION:
Traction refers to the maximum frictional force that can be produced between
surfaces without slipping. In auto mobiles traction is responsible for the movement of
vehicle. In the design of wheeled or tracked vehicles, high traction between wheel and
ground is more desirable than low traction, as it allows for more energetic acceleration
electric system that maintains or controls traction to any wheels driven by the engine.
Unlike mechanical traction control systems of the past such as limited slip differentials,
today's systems are nearly all computer-controlled as they actively watch wheel slip. An
option formerly reserved for performance, you can find traction control on all types of
vehicles today.
The purpose of the Traction Control System is to prevent wheel spin from
occurring due to acceleration. The maximum torque that can be transmitted to the wheels
is determined by the coefficient of friction generated between the road and the tires. If
torque exceeds that level, the wheels are likely to spin. Conditions for Traction operation
may include slippery road surfaces, acceleration while cornering and hard acceleration.
The basic idea behind the need of a traction control system is the difference
between the slips of different wheels or an apparent loss of road grip that may result in
loss of steering control over the vehicle which leads to slipping of the vehicle and loss of
power which results in uncontrolled cruising. Difference in slip may occur due to turning
of a vehicle or differently varying road conditions for different wheels. And thus need to
5
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS
HISTORY:
Traction has always been the Achilles Heel of any vehicle. A perfectly capable car
or truck becomes completely useless when stuck in sand, mud, or snow. Early in the
development of the modern motor vehicle, engineers realized that 4-wheel drive (4WD)
was one answer. By sending engine power to all four wheels, at least one wheel would
have enough grip to pull the vehicle through. It was a brilliant discovery, but 4WD meant
that the vehicle would have to carry extra weight, complexity, and suffer the increased
fuel consumption associated with the 4WD drive train, even when it was not in use.
Traction control system uses a form of technology designed for aircraft in the
mechanical sensors to measure and detect when a wheel was skidding and hydraulically
release the braking force on that wheel. With an ABS system, an aircraft could apply
brake with maximum stopping power without skidding, regardless of weather conditions.
With further development, automotive engineers realized they could “reverse” the
operation of the ABS to build an effective traction control system using the same sensors.
technology has finally solved the traction puzzle. In 1987, the earliest innovators of
automotive vehicles, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, introduced their first traction control
systems. Traction Control was first introduced on the 1994 Turbo Supra and expanded to
Recently in the motorsport sector traction control system is given a red flag by
from 2008. Apart from that when it comes to performance and safety, Traction control
6
TR CTION CONTROL SYSTEMS
L TE T E E
BL K G T T T L TE T
Fi 1
PE Eiri 5
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS
A simple input output process block diagram is given in figure 1 and various
inputs are shown on the left side. The process control unit is represented in the middle
part if the figure. Right side blocks of the diagram shows the various controlled outputs
The main inputs for a TRAC system are wheel speed sensors, battery level sensor,
TRAC OFF switch, stop light switch, and the throttle position sensor. These inputs give
speed signal, remaining battery signal, OFF signal, stop signal and throttle level signal
respectively.
Electronic Control Unit (TRAC ECU) and an Engine Control Modulator (ECM). The
TRAC ECU will have an interconnection with ECM in order to communicate to the
engine throttle position control. These processing units process and analyze the input
The controlled outputs of a TRAC system are solenoids actuator, pump motor
actuator, slip indicator light, TRAC OFF light, ABS warning light, injectors control, and
The control action can consist of one or more actions such as reducing or suppress
the spark to one or more cylinders, reducing fuel supply to one or more cylinders, brake
one or more wheels, close the throttle where vehicle is fitted with ECM controlled
throttle, and the boost control solenoid can be actuated to reduce boost and therefore
engine power. The controlled action of the one or more of the above outputs can help in
traction control of the vehicle resulting in a slip proof cruising of the vehicle irrespective
CASE STUDIES:
small amount of power to the non-slipping wheel, but it still allows some wheel
spin to occur.
computer system to detect rear wheel spin and modulate engine power to those
option on all full-size models, including the Riviera, Estate Wagon, Electra 225,
3. Traction control for a production motorcycle was first available with the Honda
ST1100 in 1992. By 2009, traction control was an option for several models
offered by BMW and Ducati, and the model year 2010 Kawasaki Concours 14
(1400GTR).
4. Mitsubishi's modern Active Skid and Traction Control (ASTC) system which was
developed to help the driver maintain the intended path through a corner, an
onboard computer monitored several vehicle operating parameters through the use
of various sensors.
5. In the design of wheeled or tracked vehicles, high traction between wheel and
ground is more desirable than low traction, as it allows for more energetic
acceleration including cornering and braking without wheel slippage. One notable
SCOPE:
Spinning the tires not only makes the car harder to drive, but it also causes higher
tire temps and excessive tire wear. Lifting off the throttle or counter steering to correct for
this 5% mistake, not only upsets the rhythm, it slows the car down. Typically, if a driver
makes a 5% mistake with the throttle, he/she has to correct 20-25% to fix it. But if the tire
slip is detected within one cylinder worth of crank rotation, as the Davis Technologies
systems do, then a small reduction in power can reduce or stop the tire slip.
Rate (AFR), known as Threshold. If the Engine RPM rate of change is in excess of that
Basically, the TRAC system looks for spikes in RPM that are caused by wheel
slip. If these spikes are large enough, then a correction is made, reducing the slip. By
adjusting the Threshold, the driver can tune the system to the desired "feel".
SL series, which were introduced by Davis Technologies, can compare the rate of
based on the average of the previous measurements. This update occurs on every
crankshaft revolution.
Through this very advanced control process, the system constantly accounts for
track conditions, tire condition, even driving style to constantly update the internal
settings. These settings are updated as many as 200 times a second to keep the unit
calibrated to exactly the right settings regardless of changing conditions. This allows the
system to adjust to the correct settings even if one corner has more grip than another or
The user does have an adjustment referred to as “Mode” that sets the overall
sensitivity of the system to make a correction based the extent of the tire slip. By
adjusting the Mode, the driver can tune the system to the desired TRAC control level.
The speed and learning capabilities of these systems is what makes the best
traction control on the market today. Allowing you to focus on chassis set-up, and not be
distracted by constantly having to adjust your traction control settings, as with systems
that work on a percentage of slip between the front and rear wheels.
SUMMERY OF REVIEW:
Traction control helps limit tire slip in acceleration on slippery surfaces. Powerful
rear-drive cars from the sixties often had a primitive form of traction control called a
limited slip differential helping to reduce, but not eliminate wheel spin. While limited-slip
rear axles are still in use in many front- and rear-drive vehicles today, the device can't
completely eliminate wheel slip. Hence, a more sophisticated system was needed.
utilize the same wheel-speed sensors employed by the antilock braking system. These
sensors measure differences in rotational speed to determine if the wheels that are
receiving power have lost traction. When the traction-control system determines that one
wheel is spinning more quickly than the others, it automatically applies brake to that
wheel to reduce its speed and lessen wheel slip. In most cases, individual wheel braking is
enough to control wheel slip. Therefore for drivers who routinely drive in snowy and icy
T TE E T T T K
Fi 2
PE Eiri 0
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS
The Toyota Supra is a sports car that was produced by Toyota Motor Company
from 1979 to 2002. It introduced TRAC system in model “Supra Mark IV” in the year
1994. It was most notable is the separate TRAC actuator and ABS actuator in 1993 till
1995. Engine torque is controlled via a sub-throttle actuator which controls the sub-throttle
The TRAC System reduces engine torque and rear wheel speed as necessary to
bring the vehicle under control. The ABS ECU, TRAC ECU and ECM all work together
to provide traction control. ABS speed sensors are monitored by the TRAC ECU which in
turn controls a sub-throttle plate and applies the rear brakes. The ECM also retards engine
The supra TRAC system is represented in figure 2 of previous page. The TRAC
OFF switch is located on the instrument panel above the center console. It allows the
driver to activate or deactivate the TRAC system when the switch is depressed. The
The Sub-Throttle Actuator uses a step motor located between the main throttle
valve and air cleaner. It is fitted on the throttle body and controls the position of the sub-
throttle valve based on commands made by the TRAC ECU thus controlling the engine
output.
Sub-Throttle Position sensor is fitted to the sub-throttle valve shaft. It converts the
sub-throttle valve opening angle to a voltage signal and sends this signal to the TRAC
ECU via the ECM (Engine ECU). The sensor is built and operates in the same way as the
Apart from the above explained components all the remaining operational
components work in the same way that of explanation to the block diagram of TRAC
system.
T EEL EE T L
Fi 3
is basically representing the accuracy of the TR C system for a particular wheel speed
control range.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed the main throttle opens resulting in
generation of more torque. If the TR C system identifies excessi e torque than required
causing one or more wheels to spin, then it applies brake to those wheels in small amount.
This braking action is intermittent till the wheel speed is reduced to the desired range for
safe cruising.
We can observe the highs and lows in the graph representing increased wheel
speed and TR C wheel speed controlling action respectively. Finally it comes to the
required speed range and TR C system stops controlling action and goes back to
monitoring state.
PE Eiri
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS
Traction control systems bring overall improvement in the braking system of the
1. Traction control brake systems are helpful in avoiding accidents over low-traction
road surfaces.
2. The system assists in maintaining control over the car during sudden twists and
4. A reduction in stopping distances after the brakes are applied can help in traffic.
5. TRAC system maintains directional control after breaking and reduces skidding.
6. Traction control is beneficial when roads are wet and icy as it helps in accelerate
from a stop.
7. Traction control is helpful when you're driving a powerful car as it regulates the
power to the tires, keeping the car on the path you set.
control.
9. In case of huge truck applications TRAC system can help in accelerating as well
as stopping efficiently.
10. When accelerating, it gives you more traction because when you accelerate, more
11. By applying pressure to the slipping wheel, power is sent to the drive wheel with
APPLICATIONS:
There are many sectors in which Traction control system finds itself useful.
1. In road cars: Traction control has traditionally been a safety feature in high-
performance cars, which would otherwise need very sensitive throttle input to
keep them from spinning the driven wheels when accelerating, especially in wet,
icy or snowy conditions. In recent years, traction control systems have become
maximum traction under acceleration without wheel spin. When accelerating out
with the Honda ST1100 in 1992. By 2009, traction control was an option for
several models offered by BMW and Ducati, and the model year 2010 Kawasaki
Concours.
limited slip differential as well as other computerized control of the engine and
5. Traction control is not just used for improving acceleration under slippery
conditions. It can also help a driver to corner more safely. If too much throttle is
applied during cornering, the drive wheels will lose traction and slide sideways.
This will be avoided by TRAC system and helps the driver in cornering.
REFERENCE:
1. “Mechanical Wear Fundamentals and Testing” – Dr. Raymond Bayer, CRC Press.
3. “Traction Control and other electronic trickery” – Prof. Andrew Trevitt, California
State University.
- Stephanie G. et al. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.