LogFAQs > #970461512

Sahuagin posted...

important in racing, but also important in low-traction conditions in general. ABS and traction control are intended to be assists for low-traction conditions but they fail miserably in extreme low-traction, like ice and snow. similar for automatic transmission: it's convenient, but pales in comparison to actually being in control of the gears and using them intelligently in adverse conditions.

Sounds like someone who hasn't used an automatic transmission in the last 15-20 years, or is intentionally ignoring how they actually function. Unless you are driving like a maniac in horrible conditions, ABS and traction control will absolutely work well in ice and snow, because that is what they are specifically designed for. An ABS "pumps" your breaks faster then a human can to regain traction, and if it gets engaged in the first place you were going to fast. Traction control prevents your car from sliding around by breaking the slipping wheel to prevent loss of traction. By the time both of these systems get engaged and correct the problem, a human wouldn't even have the chance to react even if they had super-human reaction speeds.

Besides, racing does away with a lot of these things not because you "need" more control, but because racing is supposed to be about how skilled the driver is, not how advanced their computer system is. And something that only applies to like the top 1% of drivers probably isn't going to make an improvement to the other 99% of drivers on the road.