My parents bought another Mazda 3 and were going to opt for DSC, after I explained the importance of this safety feature. But in the end they would have had to wait a lot longer for their car, due to the low demand.

But atleast the two 3s they do have, both have 6 airbags fitted.

Car manufacturer definitely should take most blames. A lot of them divide their products to base model and luxury model where most safety features are only included in higher model.

Take Mazda 6 for example, a great car to drive, the base model does come with 6 airbags, but it does not include Brake Assist, DSC, traction control, not even as options. They only appear in luxury model with price hike of 10K. Consumers are forced to buy these safety features with other junk like sunroof, leather seats which most people don’t need.

Also, another safety technology such as Rear Reversing Camera(not the useless sensor one) should be included in large car and 4WD vehicle. This is an inexpensive equipment that could save lives too.

Of course, from a safety perspective, a second hand Volvo/Merc/Saab is often a safer purchase than a new [insert brand] car for the same $.

But let’s keep that secret to ourselves or the price of second hand safe cars will increase :-)

I think it basically comes down to education. If people don’t know about the benefits of ESP etc. they won’t demand them.

But despite what you said, many buyers do not understand the need for ESP and extra airbags, my folks recently asked me to come along to help them buy a new car, and it took me hours of arguing for them to realize the extra $750 for a safety pack for side n curtain airbags in the Corolla was a necessity.

And despite my best attempts to steer them towards a Mazda 3, which has ESP, the Toyota badge had won their dollars.

I agree with the idea behind this article, but the bottom line is, if people are serious about safety, then they will buy the safest car they can afford. Even if it looks like a box (Volvo).

Given that sorta obvious statement, who cares if importers bring in tinny, de-specced cars? Smart consumers will simply vote with their wallets and poor cars will not sell! The importers will figure it out eventually, one would think?

After two Volvos I am now on my third Mercedes A Class. Since 1999 they have had four airbags, ABS, Brake assist, traction control, ESP as standard. That’s right, Mercedes *invented* all those items. Safety first.

No matter how good of a driver we are, there are plenty of idiots of the road that could involve us in a life-threatening crash, completely against our control. Companies adding extra airbags and safety devices could make that threatening crash, a lot less threatening.

It disappoints me… and more so when you think of the safety and when you literally think of how little these systems would cost to implement over the 100,000’s of cars that run off the production line. I’d happy pay a little more for a car that came with all of this stuff standard, leaving me enough money to buy those weather shields, sun visors, floor mats and headlight protectors. :)

Steve