what are anti lock brakes

Anti-lock brakes (ABS) stop your wheels from turning into stone rollers when you slam the pedal, so you can keep steering while shedding speed.

Wheel-speed sensors and a hydraulic control unit rapidly modulate brake pressure—think fast, clever pumping—preventing lock-up on wet or dry roads.

You’ll feel a pulsing pedal during a hard stop; that’s normal, so keep your foot in and let the system do the tap-dancing.

ABS helps you steer around trouble and usually shortens stopping distances on sealed surfaces, though on loose gravel or sand it can be longer.

It also teams up with stability and traction control, forming the electronic safety net you hope never to need but absolutely want.