The discussion over simplified cars intensified as manufacturers in Russia began producing models with fewer imported components. AVTOVAZ, facing shortages of certain parts, began assembling vehicles without some comfort and safety features such as air conditioning, airbags, and ABS. The result was cars that rolled off the line with lower cost but with questions about their day-to-day comfort and long-term safety. This tension between affordability and protection sparked a broader conversation about how essential certain safety systems really are and what drivers might be sacrificing when those systems are missing.
To explore these questions, a professional racer named Scott Mansell was enlisted to help. His goal was to determine whether human skill could compensate for the absence of electronic safety aids, or if technology has an indisputable edge when it comes to braking. The experiment took place with a Mazda MX-5, chosen for its light weight—just over 1,200 kilograms—which makes it a close match to the mass of comparable models used in everyday driving in North America and Europe alike.
Brakes with and without ABS
First up was braking with the Electronic Stability Program engaged and ABS active. Mansell pushed the car to roughly 100 km/h before testing the braking distance. Under these conditions, the car stopped in 34.7 meters, a measurement that underscores how modern electronic aids can significantly shorten stopping distances on average road surfaces. The test provides a benchmark for what drivers can expect in a common scenario where braking performance is optimized by technology, rather than relying solely on human reaction and pedal control.
Next came testing the braking system without any electronic intervention. The experiment invited an ordinary driver to perform five braking attempts. The best of these trials landed at 39 meters, while the remaining attempts stretched beyond 42 meters. This data illustrates a notable gap between human braking without electronic assist and braking with ABS, especially on typical dry pavement. It also hints at the variability introduced by human factors such as reaction time, pedal modulation, and the ability to counteract weight transfer during braking.
In some respects, the exercise tells a pragmatic story: when ABS is removed, braking performance can become less predictable and slower. Yet the results also highlight the skill level of drivers who can manage threshold braking and line selection with precision. It is a reminder that while technology provides a safety net, competent driving still matters, particularly in the absence of electronic aids.
What if the driver is a professional?
The test continued with five additional attempts conducted by the professional racer himself. From the outset, his results improved upon those achieved by the ordinary driver, showing how training and experience influence braking performance. The pro achieved a braking distance of 40 meters for the initial attempt without ABS, but he could not beat the electronic system overall. The best recorded distance with professional effort alone was 37.5 meters, still short of the ABS-reliant best from the first part of the test. The comparison is telling: even a highly skilled driver cannot consistently outpace the benefits provided by electronic braking assistance in this scenario.
Across the results, the smallest margin of improvement when using ABS versus a skilled driver’s best effort without ABS was about 2.8 meters. For ordinary drivers, the advantage of ABS tends to widen with repeated attempts, as familiarity with attack angles, pedal pressure, and weight transfer comes into play. The data collectively suggests a clear trend: ABS improves braking consistency and reduces stopping distance, even when a driver is highly trained, especially under real-world conditions where reaction times and pedal control can vary widely.
- Driving insights and reflections are available through accessible formats such as messaging apps like Viber.
Visual documentation of the experiments was published on video platforms, providing a transparent record of the braking tests and outcomes. The project demonstrates how braking performance shifts under different control paradigms and serves as a practical reference for car buyers weighing the value of safety features in market choices.
Photo and video materials are credited to their respective platforms, with additional context provided through formal attributions. [Video source: YouTube; platform communications and commentary offered to viewers through official channels.]