Traction control is designed to reduce or eliminate wheel spin under acceleration. Traction control is usually fitted to vehicles along with a number of other systems like antilock brakes to improve overall vehicle stability. When fitted with other systems some vehicle sensors such as wheel-speed sensors are shared and used to supply wheel data to both the traction control and antilock brakes.
Traction control works well with antilock brakes to control wheel spin during acceleration (traction control) and wheel spin or skidding during braking (antilock brakes). It can do this by a number of different methods, including reducing engine power by stopping spark or reducing fuel to one or more cylinders and applying the brake to one or more wheels.
Traction control is very useful and becomes an added safety feature when road conditions are slippery such as during rain, snow or ice. Like many automotive advances, traction control was first fitted to high performance luxury cars, before being fitted to everyday vehicles as optional or standard equipment.
Traction control is often fitted to 4WD and SUV vehicles to assist in off road driving where vehicles are driven on loose or muddy surfaces and required to climb steep hill grades.
