Initially, ABS systems were developed for aircraft. An early system was Dunlop Maxaret company presented in the 1950s, and still in use on some aircraft models. This was a completely mechanical system. It was used on automobiles in the 1960s (Ferguson P99 car racing, Jensen FF and the experimental car Ford Zodiac wheel drive) but the car was expensive and was not entirely reliable. A complete mechanical was built and sold by Lucas Girling  the factory equipped a Ford Fiesta 3rd generation. He called Stop Control System (control system shutdown).

Operation
ABS of a BMW K75 motorcycle
A typical ABS is composed of a central electronic unit, four-speed transducers (one for each wheel) and two or more hydraulic valves on the brake circuit. A electronic unit constantly monitors the rotation speed of each wheel. When it detects that one wheel is rotating more slowly than the other (a condition that will bring it in a lock state), moves the valves to relieve pressure in the brake circuit, reducing the braking force on that wheel.

Efficiency – On high-traction surfaces, dry or wet, most cars are equipped with ABS, braking distances get better (shorter) than those without ABS. A driver with average skills can handle car without ABS, a brake cadence, to achieve performance of a novice driver on a car with ABS. However, a significant number of drivers chose ABS because it enhances braking distances in various conditions. The recommended technique for driving a car equipped with ABS in an emergency situation, is to press the brake pedal to the metal and to avoid obstacles.

In such cases, ABS will significantly reduce the chances of a skid and loss of control, especially with heavy machinery.On snow and gravel, ABS braking distance increases. On these surfaces, locked wheels would widen and stop the car faster, but ABS prevents this. Some models of ABS reduce this effect by increasing the cycling time, leaving the wheels to lock repeatedly for short periods. ABS’s advantage in these areas is improved machine control, and no braking, although loss of control on such areas is still possible.

Once activated, the ABS will make the pedal to pulsate. Some drivers, sensing this, pressing the pedal and thus reduce the increase braking distance. This contributes to increasing the number of accidents. For this reason some manufacturers have implemented systems that maintain power Brake Assist emergency braking.

Traction control – ABS equipment may also be used to implement traction control to accelerate a car. If, when accelerating, rubber grip lose ground, ABS can detect the situation and apply the brakes to reduce speed to regaining grip.  Manufacturers usually sell it as a separate option, even if the traction control infrastructure are largely shared with that of ABS’s. More sophisticated versions can control the acceleration and brake simultaneously, resulting as Bosch and Continental Teves called Electronic Stability Control, Electronic Stability Program.