Electronic brake force distribution (EBD) works on the concept that each wheel in your vehicle needs the same amount or level of braking force. When a car brakes, its weight will shift across the four wheels, and each wheel doesn’t always support the same amount of weight. The force applied to each wheel will be different. Some tyres carry a heavier load than others and therefore require more brake force to bring the vehicle to stop without losing control. This is where an EBD system dives in.
The Function of an Electronic Brake Force Distribution
When a car driver applies the brake, its weight shifts across the four wheels. The tyres with the least amount of load are more susceptible to skid. This can happen braking in a straight line or while cornering. The EBD system makes sure the braking is even. Without an EBD system, the braking system results in uneven braking which can lead to a brake lockup because of the difference in load among the car tyres.
When an EBD system senses lightly loaded tyres it reduces the braking power to those tyres to prevent them from skidding and getting out of control. Tyres with greater weight or load maintain higher braking power to help the vehicle stop effectively.
Components of an EBD System
The electronic brake force distribution hardware includes the following three components:
Speed Sensors
Each wheel of a vehicle equipped with the EBD system has speed sensors. The function of each sensor is to transmit the speed on the wheel placed to the ECU. This means that if your car’s speed is more than the speed of your rotating wheel it can slip and your car can skid as a result.
Electronic Control Unit
The speed sensors provide input to the Electronic Control Unit. The ECU figures out the slip ratio of each tyre by comparing the speed of the tyre with that of the car. Next, the ECU applies the right amount of braking force to slow down or halt the vehicle if it detects a particular wheel slipping.
Brake Force Modulators
Brake force modulators are used by the EBD system to modulate or control the braking force applied to each tyre.
What is the Difference between ABS and EBD System?
Car tyres need friction to operate. When a driver steps on the accelerator, friction is developed between the tyres and the road and that is what makes a car move forward. Conversely, when the driver brakes, the friction between the tyre and road is what slows it down.
While accelerating, we generally assume that the car will move in the direction towards which the tyres are pointed, however, in the absence of friction between the tyres and the road that won’t happen. As a result, a car can easily skid sideways and lose control.
Therefore to drive safely, the presence of friction is eminent. That said, there are several conditions that stop the friction from happening including icy roads and when the driver brakes too hard. For the latter, the car might move forward but the speed will be greater than the speed of the spinning tyres. This is when the wheels get locked and result in accidents.
To avoid your car from skidding and slipping, the slip ratio is necessary. The slip ratio means the difference between the speed of your moving vehicle and the speed of the rotating tyres. An antilock braking system senses the slip ratio of tyres and controls the brake force applied to each tyre. This way the slip ratio stays within a safe range and the chances of your car skidding reduce to a great extent.
On the other hand, an electronic brake force distribution system is basically an extension of the Anti-lock brake system. An EBD brake system makes sure that the correct amount of force is applied to each tyre so as to bring it to a complete stop. While the ABS system makes sure car wheels don’t stop under heavy braking, the EBD system ensures each wheel receives the correct amount of braking force.
An EBD system is also beneficial when car brakes are applied while cornering. When a car is cornering, the outer wheels of the car rotate faster than the inside wheels while turning. In such a scenario, applying too much brake force to the inner wheels can lock them. This can result in oversteering and make your car get out of control. Thankfully, the EBD system senses the slippage of the inner wheels and reduces the brake force on those tyres without reducing the force on the outer wheels.
That is all about the EBD system. If you’re looking for a car with modern safety features, you can explore these used cars for sale in the UAE.
Stay tuned to your favourite cars blog for more on car parts and systems.
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