Bit of a discussion over on a newbie VRS thread about the various control acronyms, EBD ADR ESP and so forth...

So someone said ASR, the VRS' traction control, actively controls the electronic throttle to cut power when wheelspin is detected?? I've never heard any manufacturer use that method? I knew that ESP systems, especially advanced ones used the ABS on independent wheels but I thought traction control ie ASR used the same principle: microsecond blips on the ABS to stop a spinning wheel hence forcing drive to the opposite wheel and regaining grip. Cutting total power seems an unneccesarily dramatic way of achieving that, cutting drive to both wheels.

Anyone know whether ASR applies brakes or cuts power?

it cuts power, try it out for yourself.

found this:

ABS is now standard across the Fabia range. ASR traction control further helps ABS by way of stabilising the car. When ABS detects a lack of grip, ASR moderates engine torque until the wheels obtain enough grip. The vehicle maintains steering control, no matter how considerable the brake force. ASR functions automatically, but can be switched off in situations requiring more manual control, such as deep snow or loose gravel. ASR is standard on Elegance and Fabia vRS models.

Complimenting ASR on elegance models is Electronic Differential Lock (EDL). This is a system that continually correlates individual wheel speed. If a difference in rotating speed between wheels is detected, brakes are applied to that wheel, bringing it in line with the driven wheels and to that end, equable motion returns.

Ah I see, so does the VRS have EDL or is it only elegance Fabias?

Am I right in thinking though that most traction control systems utilise the ABS braking to control a spinning wheel, rather than cutting of engine torque? This is how most four wheel drives use traction control off road, like simulating a diff lock. Did Skoda take the cheaper option

SKODA SAFETY SYSTEMS: ASR#

I'm assuming, as theres no commentary, the red Octavia has no driving aids, while the silver Octavia has the ASR and ESP switched on. ESP would be a must in colder climates!

I could never understand the difference with ASR (Anti Slip Regulation or Traction control) and EDL (Electronic Differential Lock) , because I thought they did the same thing. Both put the brake on the wheel that has the least grip to stop it spinning.

Looking at posts in the other thread and the above posts, ASR acts on both wheels if they are spinning and EDL only works on one, is this correct?

I have been looking at an old Fabia brochure , The Elegance and some Comfort (later called Ambiente) models had ABS+EDL+ASR. It is a £50 option for other models. The vRS only has ABS and ASR. I thought the vRS would have all 3 being the top of the range. In a later brochure the vRS has ABS and ASR+MSR. ESP is a £400 option. I think MSR is something to do with limiting torque, but I'm not sure.

I was always under the impression that ASR works by limiting the amount of diesel injected..

If you look in VCDS there is from memory a measuring block that's injection quantity limiter for ASR..

Kev

limiting the amount of diesel injected.

cutting power as i said in the other thread and KTP says above

Either way, it's crappy and is always turned off in my car

Kev

Works well in snow though...

Either way, it's crappy and is always turned off in my car

Kev

the right foot is the best traction control system out there

There's nothing worse than pulling out quickly from a junction to then slip a wheel slightly and suddenly loose near all power and left sitting in the road...

Out of the two, i'd prefer to make some noise and leave some squiggles rather than be the cause of a RTC

Kev

Works well in snow though...

Well my wife's 1.4 16V Polo 9N has ESR and EDL and as advised in the handbook, "switch it off in difficult conditions like snow or gravel". I deliberately spec'd these options in as a kind of "poor mans" substitute to four wheel drive - and as said above - its absolute rubbish in winter - and maybe all other times as well. Interestingly, I was talking to a Ford or VX dealer before I bought my 4Motion Passat and they laughed at me for being con'd into buying a four wheel drive car when ESR and EDL do exactly the same job - what a lot of crap, my Quattro type four wheel drive in the old Passat is one of the few fulltime four wheel drive systems around, most of the rest try to regain grip only after you have lost it - and that is a bit late!

Does the ASR section of ESR not operate in two modes, ie brakes only below ??MPH and power regulation above ??MPH.

I'm not sure how ASR works, but I can say it's very good at what it does. Compared to the crap systems VW fitted to mk4 Golfs which make the car stutter and pretty much stop (leaving u dead in the middle of pulling out a junction).

Very impressed with my little skoda so far!