Electronic Stability Control Getting More Popular

By Alborz Fallah | August 28th, 2007

Car manufacturers are getting the message, Electronic Stability Control (ESC/ESP/DSC/etc) is not just a marketing tool, but a life saving feature.

Yesterday the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) released figures which show that 34.7 percent of new passenger and SUV vehicles are fitted standard with ESC. This is a 14.7 percent increase over the last 12 months.

Understeer ESP Helping Oversteer ESP Helping

It seems that SUVs have gained the most with nearly half (48.1 percent) of all new SUVs sold between January and June of this year featuring ESC. The figure is lower at 30.6 per cent for cars.

FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar believes the rapid deployment of ESC is a result of the competitive market as well as consumer demand.

“Australian motorists have access to this technology at very affordable levels and they have demonstrated that they do place a value on enhanced vehicle safety.” said Mr McKellar.

The report also shows that 17 of the 38 automotive brands researched are fitting ESC to either 100 per cent of their passenger car models, 100 per cent of their SUVs, or in some cases both.

Not sure what ESC is? This video might help.

280zx

So what happens when some clown crosses over your side of the road and you steer out of their way does the esc kick in and put you back in the path of the on coming truck?? Just interested…..
Graeme

Don’t be a dope 280zx, have you never tested this feature on a closed circuit? It can’t see where the lane markings are, so it will do its best to make the car go where it’s steered. And if the oncoming clown was equipped with it, chances are he wouldn’t be on your side of the road in the first place.
If every car had ESC, deaths on the road would be reduced by at least 40%.