What Is Hill Descent Control?

Hill descent control is a feature mainly found on sport utility vehicles that automatically keeps the vehicle's speed in check when going down steep declines. First equipped mainly on vehicles without 4-wheel drive or low range gearboxes, hill descent control uses the ABS system to keep the vehicle on the correct path while maintaining a safe speed. Some systems allow you to change the descent speed by using buttons on the steering wheel, while applying the brakes or pressing the throttle will usually override the system. It may seem unnatural at first to drive down a steep hill with no foot on the brake, but the systems work very well and quickly become almost indispensable.