With obscure acronyms such as ABS, BHP, 4WD, EBD, and GPS being bandied around by car salesmen like they were things that everybody should know, it is easy to feel more than a little bewildered by the whole thing.
So, if you're struggling to tell your ABCs from your 4WDs, let this handy glossary be your guide:
ABS stands for Anti-lock Brake System. Before you scream 'Why isn't it ALBS', it should be explained that the acronym is actually derived from the German phrase 'Anti Blockier System', and just happened to (sort of) fit in with the English translation.
Before the advent of anti-lock braking systems, if you had to stop suddenly, and you wanted to avoid your brakes locking up, you had to pump the brake pedal with your foot several times in quick succession.
Needless to say, this is quite a tricky thing to remember to do, not to mention pull off successfully in an emergency situation, so some bright spark came up with brakes that do this for you automatically.
With ABS, all you have to do is hold down the brake pedal and the system will do the rest. In use, it can sound, and feel, like something has gone terribly wrong with your brakes, but this is normal and shouldn't convince you to take your foot off the brake.
EBD stands for Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, and is often fitted to cars with ABS. It gauges through the motion of the spinning wheels which wheels have the most grip and apply more braking power to them.
EBA, standing for electronic brake assist, ensures that when you do an emergency stop, maximum pressure is applied to the brake even if you have not fully depressed the pedal.
4WD, 2WD, and AWD stand for Four Wheel Drive, Two Wheel Drive, and All Wheel Drive respectively. Whereas most cars only apply engine power to two wheels, four wheel and all wheel drive vehicles apply power to all the wheels, giving better traction on slippery and off road surfaces. However, it also uses twice as much fuel, which is the reason 2WD cars are still more popular. 2WD cars are divided into two categories – RWD, standing for rear wheel drive, and FWD, which stands for Front Wheel Drive. Most family 2WD cars are in the FWD category, but many sports cars are equipped with RWD systems, which are harder to park but can drive faster round corners.
Finally, GPS stands for Global Positioning Satellite system, and is also sometimes called Sat Nav, short for Satellite Navigation system. These devices are in touch with a satellite orbiting miles above the earth that can map your coordinates with an uncanny degree of accuracy. In cars, they take the form of small consoles with screens that tell you where you are on the map, and provide other information such as verbal and on screen directions, estimated arrival times, and average speeds.