When emergency braking is applied to a vehicle not equipped with an ABS system, the wheels will lock up completely due to excessive braking force, causing pure sliding friction between the tyres and the road surface. At this point, the vehicle will lose steering control, and the steering wheel will be unable to effectively adjust direction. From a technical perspective, the locked state reduces the effective coefficient of friction between the tyres and the road surface by approximately 30%, potentially extending the braking distance while causing severe localized tyre wear. In contrast, the ABS system maintains the wheels within the ideal slip ratio range of 15%-25% through high-frequency pressure modulation occurring dozens of times per second, preserving steering capability while optimizing braking force distribution. In vehicles without ABS, continuous hard braking should be avoided during emergency stops; instead, manual brake pumping can simulate ABS effects, though this requires considerable driver skill. Modern vehicles are typically equipped with ABS as standard, with its core value lying in providing controllable braking redundancy for emergency situations rather than merely pursuing reduced braking distances.
