What Car? readers award industry for anti-lock brakes
The motor industry has been presented with What Car? magazine’s 2005 reader award, for the voluntary fitting of Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) as standard. The award was collected by Christopher Macgowan, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, on behalf of the industry, at a ceremony held at The Grosvenor House Hotel on 20 January 2005.
Readers voted for initiatives in the past year that made their lives safer, easier or cheaper. What Car? editor David Motton said, ‘Previously, buyers were more likely to spend money on optional extras such as alloy wheels or air-con rather than ABS. Now they no longer have to make that choice and lives will be saved as a result.’
Christopher Macgowan added, ‘I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of the motor industry. We are committed to improving vehicle safety for occupants and other road users and the introduction of ABS as standard is an important step forward. All road users will benefit from this development because ABS gives drivers greater control in an emergency situation, preventing many accidents happening in the first place.’
Manufacturers voluntarily agreed to fit ABS to new cars made after 1 July 2004. ABS allows the driver to stop more quickly and maintain steering control even in an emergency. The system works on the automatic principle of cadence braking, which means the driver applies continuous pressure on the brakes, steering round the obstacle.
The introduction of ABS as standard was part of an industry-wide agreement to improve pedestrian protection that also included changes to front-end design and the removal of rigid bull bars.