Primary or active safety

This refers to the features designed into the vehicle which reduce the possibility of an accident. These include primary design elements such as dual-circuit braking systems, anti-lock braking systems, high aerodynamic stability and efficient bad-weather equipment, together with features that make the driver’s environment safer, such as efficient through ventilation, orthopaedic seating, improved all-round vision, easy to read instruments and ergonomiccontrols.
An anti-lock braking system (ABS) enhances a driver’s ability to steer the vehicle during hard braking. Sensors monitor how fast the wheels are rotating and feed data continuously to a microprocessor in the vehicle to signal that a wheel is approaching
lockup. The computer responds by sending a signal to apply and release brake pressure as required. This pumping action continues as long as the driver maintains adequate force on the brake pedal and impending wheel lock condition is sensed.
The stability and handling of the vehicle are affected by the width of the track and the position of the centre of gravity. Therefore the lower the centre of gravity and the wider the track the more stable is the vehicle.