[xxbondsxx]

MechE here, the limiting factor for car accelerations is usually the static coefficient of friction between the car tires and the road, _not_ the power of the brakes or strength of the engine.

Without ABS braking, it is quite easy to "skid" while applying a harsh brake because you overcome the limit of force between the tires and the road. Similarly, it is quite easy to "burnout" as well with a strong engine for the same reason.

So although the strength of the two systems is not the same, the limiting factor for both of them is identical. Hence, symmetry.

[_ea1k]

The limiting factor on acceleration in the Toyota Yaris is ont the tires.

[cellularmitosis]

This is true for the deceleration side of things (nearly any car can lock it's brakes at any speed), but on the acceleration side of the curve, this is typically only true in first, and perhaps second gear. It would take a truly obscene amount of power to smoke the tires while already in 5th gear (assuming you dont "cheat" by popping the clutch).

[xxbondsxx]

Obviously burning out in 5th is almost impossible, but I was considering the stop sign case where you are starting from rest in 1st gear.

[shasta]

Car owner here. I don't think this is right.

[kronusaturn]

Yeah, this argument would only apply to all-wheel-drive cars that are powerful enough to burnout on all four wheels.

[xxbondsxx]

It actually applies in a few cases:

* All wheel drive cars, with all-wheel braking

* Two-wheel drive cars, with braking systems that are primarily biased towards the front.

Both cases rely on either all four wheels or accel/decel or only two