Texture, Skid Resistance, and the Stability of Automobiles in Limit Maneuvers

The capability of conventional automobile/tire systems to perform a variety of emergency maneuvers was determined. In general, this capability was quantified in terms of the maximum values of longitudinal and transverse vehicle accelerations that could be produced under specific conditions. These vehicle/tire performance measurements are compared directly with common indicators of available friction such as texture measurements and skid numbers. The texture measurements appear to correlate as well with vehicle performance as do direct friction measurements such as skid numbers and British Pendulum Numbers.