| Electronic Stability Control |
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Electronic Stability Control, or ESC, is the single most valuable innovation in auto safety in decades. When a vehicle loses steering control, ESC automatically detects and corrects the problem. It has the potential to save thousands of lives, particularly from single vehicle collisions and rollovers. Even though ESC has been available in a limited number of vehicle models for more than a decade, most people have not heard about it, and most purchasers of new vehicles don't know they should demand it. |
ESC systems use automatic computer-controlled braking of individual wheels to help the driver maintain control in situations where a vehicle without ESC would skid out of control and likely leave the road.
ESC combines traction and yaw control with anti-lock brakes to help correct oversteering (fishtailing) and understeering. The technology compares the driver's intended direction to the vehicle's response, and automatically responds at the point that a skid begins. The technology cannot prevent all crashes, but it can help the driver maintain control of the vehicle.
According to Transport Canada, if all vehicles in Canada were outfitted with Electronic Stability Control, there would be more than 250 fewer fatalities and more than 1400 serious injuries from collisions each year. For more information about ESC, click here and here.
You can also view videos from Europe and the United States which demonstrate the technology.
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