R/C Tech Forums - View Single Post - Gyros and Traction Control: Illegal Forever?
Old 04-25-2012, 06:10 PM
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wingracer
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Originally Posted by rccartips
Prospec was just an example. Maybe the ESCs that have won nationals and worlds have built in traction control already? Hard to tech software code.

Just my personal opinion, radio exponentials, traction compounds, chassis tweaking/setup, new tires per run, etc all seek to maximize traction. If an esc software can help, what is the difference?

I remember decades ago it was banned as too complex (sensors in wheels) and added cost. But an ESC software update is usually free and no added mechanical parts to the car (not complex).

Systems like you are suggesting are NOT true traction control from a high performance perspective. That's probably why there has been no real controversy about them. To have a truly effective traction control system, you MUST have some means of sensing vehicle speed. This is usually done with a wheel speed sensor on a front wheel for RWD vehicles. Why is that, you might ask?

Contrary to what you might think, high performance traction control (as opposed to safety related tc found in most passenger cars) do NOT eliminate wheel spin. Maximum acceleration (at least with real car rubber tires, foam or rc rubber may be different) is obtained with 6-8% wheel spin. A system like the prospec would not be able to detect that. It would only detect a massive amount of wheel spin, at a time too late to matter, and then over react to the problem. What you have is a TC like my Mercedes company van has, hit a small bump under hard acceleration and the tc comes down like a hammer and you don't move until it decides to turn off again.

With someway to detect vehicle speed, the esc could then compare that to the speed of the motor and assuming you have input correct gearing and tire size figures, it could then modulate the power to maintain a 6-8% wheel spin for maximum acceleration. Of course, such a system is currently prohibited by all sanctioning bodies I know of.
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