Viability of in-built ABS and Traction Control

Hi!
I'm only recently getting into racing-sims, and although playing without assists aside from gear-shifting, I noticed some of the cars have inbuilt ABS and Traction Control. Now the basic functionality of these helpers isn't news to me, but how are they affecting high-speed cars? And is using them considered cheating?
It would be great if someone with more experience could educate me on that matter.

Blocking wheels don't seem to be a problem, even when playing with a controller. Would ABS in this case just optimize the breaking strength, or might it actually elongate the braking distance?

Traction control is a bit less comprehensible to me. Can it affect acceleration in a negative way, or maybe even cause problems when turning at high speeds?

 

for what i tried, traction control just helps you start. it makes you start really, REALLY slowly. i didn't feel it was working at higher speeds, so i don't use it.

yeah, ABS make your braking distance longer.

 

Ty, this kinda morrors my experience just now, when i tried different settings on imola with the P4/5 Competizione. I was able to drive more aggressiv, and the assists actually seemed to punish such a behaviour. Not to sure about the traction control, though. Intervened seldom, a bit random and didn't really seem to help my stability. Well, you usually have plenty grip anyway on a GT2-car, so it's probably no the best vehicle for testing.

 

i think traction control only works when you start from a dead stop. it's the stability control that cuts your engine at higher speeds. i usually run with 20\30% stability, it helps keeping the car on the track but i can still make the car drift here and there when i want

 

I'm already happy with the stability we have in AC, the cars in GTR2 went far easier off the road

 

All personal preference Temeter, whatever feels good for you is what you want. I run with them all off and turn ABS and traction off on track also. Helps me slide into the walls faster.

 

If you can balance the throttle on corner exit just on the edge of losing grip and gradually apply throttle as you straighten up, you will be much faster with TC off.

TC essentially applies the brake to the drive wheels when it thinks you're about to lose traction. Depending on TC strength will depend on how early and how hard the brakes will be applied to the drive wheel(s). To state the obvious; if your car is applying brakes, you are being slowed down (no sarcasm intended).

 

Yeah, that part of the traction control simple applying breaks was a bit confusing for me. Seems to simple, and might actually screw up risky maneuvers. And while my control certainly isn't very good, it is at least sufficiently risky^^
I'll probably try TC later on streetcars and their less understeery tunings.

 

Just remember that the ABS and TC on each car is a little different. The TC on the Ferrari 458 is wonderful and I would use it in every race. As for the BMW GT3 the TCS is a little too wonky for me. In a 1.5 hr stint I would not enable the TCS, but maybe a 6 hour endurance I would put the TCS on level 1 or so. I would say it is personal feel. Of course everyone will be different. Even drivers in the same car of an endurance team might use different TC and ABS settings.
~Bailey

 

Opposite is true I'm afraid. Street cars understeer like mad (there are multiple threads about it) whereas proper racing cars are more difficult to induce understeer, unless you're really trying.
Take the BMW GT2 out for a spin then take the Ferrari 458 (standard) out and you'll see what I mean.
With race cars you really shouldn't need any TC or ABS as they have enough downforce to keep you on track. Street cars on the other hand have very little downforce yet can still reach more than GT2 speeds.

 

Sorry, i was probably a bit unclear, since english isn't my first language.

I mean i want to try TC on streetcars, which tend to understeer at higher speeds, and also apply it at my tries to tune them to be more reactive. As you said, GT2-Cars like the M3 GT2 and P4/5 probably won't need it anyway. Especially the MP4 might benefit a bit more, though.

 

Unless you have 4 brake pedals, 4 legs, 4 ears with 2 sets of headphones (each speaker for a different wheel), you can't get each wheel to the optimal 10-20% skid for optimal braking performance.... and ABS can.
Tested this for example with the xbow, I accelerate exatcly the same way (floor it and drop the clutch into second gear, shift a moment from the rev limiter), and brake at the 400m on the drag track. with ABS I stop a little before 500m sign, without ABS, I stop much further than the 500m sign, either with all wheels locked or with threshold braking.

 

Wow, I just tried the straight line braking test, similar to what you have done and ABS rocks! The awesome this was that it "won" in the GTs and in the high end production cars.
~Bailey