MINI Cooper SE

ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) stops your wheels from locking up when you brake hard. Because the wheels keep turning, the tyres keep their grip and you can still steer around an obstacle while braking. On most modern cars it works automatically; you simply press the brake pedal firmly and keep pressing.

A simple way to remember it: EBD manages normal and firm braking so the balance is right; ABS steps in at the limit to stop any wheel locking. On spec sheets you will often see them listed together as "ABS with EBD".

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) watches where you are steering and where the car is actually going. If the two start to differ, which is the beginning of a skid, it brakes individual wheels and can reduce engine power to pull the car back onto your intended path. VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), ESP, DSC and VDC are simply different carmakers' names for the same type of system.

Hill start assist (also called hill hold, hill start aid or uphill assist) keeps the brakes applied for a short moment after you lift your foot off the brake pedal on a slope. That gives you time to move to the accelerator and pull away without the car rolling backwards. It works automatically on most cars that have it.

Lane keep assist uses a camera to watch the lane markings and gently steers the car back if you drift out of your lane without indicating. Vehicle stability control (ESC or VSC) uses motion sensors to detect a skid and brakes individual wheels to stop the car sliding. One helps when your attention slips; the other helps when the tyres lose grip. They are separate systems, and a well-equipped car has both.