Traction Control is as it says – to control traction, as best as it can in the conditions it encounters! It must be said that traction control won’t save you if you run out of talent at higher speeds and it will probably scare some drivers when it kicks in at low speeds that makes them react suddenly that causes an accident anyway!
Maximum traction is obtained when the tyres on the drive wheels just begin to slip against the road surface. Maximum traction for braking is between 14% and 20% slippage. For maximum traction during acceleration, the electronic systems on today's cars allow up to 30% slippage.
It works by doing a few things that depend on the situation. It could apply brake to the wheel that has lost traction, it could reduce power by breaking the electricity to one or more spark plug or it could close the throttle (depending on the throttle mechanism used). The idea is to slow the vehicle (or specific wheel) enough for the rubber to grip again – without any sudden change of direction by the driver.
Traction control is often paired with the ABS or Electronic Stability Control and is especially useful on a front wheel drive car where the wheels are trying to do too much, i.e. steer and provide power through the rubber.
Traction control was developed from Positraction a limited slip diff that transferred power to the wheel with the most grip. Mercedes pioneered the electronic version and Buick also brought out a version called MaxTrac in the early 70s.
Today most cars except for el cheapo models have some form
of electronic system and if you’re lucky you can switch it off to take back
control of the vehicle – provided you know your limits and the car’s!