Definition: An electronic vehicle safety technology, Traction Control began appearing on passenger vehicles in the 1990s. Although not in widespread use, it is becoming increasingly common as a standard (or optional) feature on many new minivans.
The primary goal of Traction Control is to prevent wheelslip, which is what happens when a tire freely moves against a road surface without gaining traction. This happens frequently in winter climates with older, rear-wheel drive vehicles.
Traction Control prevents wheels that are slipping from spinning. Some TC systems can also divert power from wheels that are spinning to wheels that do have traction, or adjust throttle input to prevent wheelspin under hard acceleration. The result is that more of the vehicle's power is delivered to wheels that have traction on the road surface.
Examples: The primary goal of Traction Control is to prevent wheelslip, which is what happens when a tire freely moves against a road surface without gaining traction.