Electronic Stability Control to be mandatory by 2012

tunersteve

Member
Contributor
:
2011 Mustang GT
NEW YORK -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today unveiled its final rule requiring automakers to install anti-rollover technology -- called electronic stability control -- on all vehicles by the 2012 model year.
The regulation applies to all vehicles under 10,000 pounds and isn't opposed by automakers.

Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. announced last year they would beat NHTSA's deadline by one year. Currently, ESC is in about 40 percent of 2007 model vehicles and 90 percent of SUVs -- up from just 29 percent of all 2006 model year vehicles. The systems currently are more likely to be in luxury vehicles than in some entry-level sedans.

"This technology will save thousands of lives. Like air bags and seat belts, 10 years down the road we will look back at the new ESC technology and wonder how we ever drove a car without it," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, following a tour of auto exhibits at the New York International Auto Show.

NHTSA notes that rollovers account for 2 percent of crashes, but 40 percent of occupant deaths. The technology could reduce rollovers by 84 percent and save between 5,300 and 10,300 lives when it's widespread. It also could prevent 168,000 and 238,000 serious injuries a year, and reduce passenger car rollovers by 71 percent, NHTSA said.

ESC could reduce all single-vehicle SUV crashes by 59 percent and 34 percent for passenger cars, NHTSA also said.

Using a series of sensors, ESC automatically corrects when a vehicle is about to go out of control by using automatic computer-controlled braking of individual wheels.

Under the final regulation, automakers' systems must pass a test at 50 miles per hour. Vehicles also must carry an indicator light on the dashboard to warn drivers if the ESC system isn't working. Unlike most government safety regulations, NHTSA is mandating some specific equipment rather than a performance standard.

NHTSA says adding ESC to vehicles that don't have it will cost the industry $985 million. The system will cost automakers $111 per vehicle with ABS brakes. The rule essentially requires manufacturers to add ABS to all vehicles; by 2011, 93 percent of vehicles were set to have ABS anyway, NHTSA notes.
And NHTSA says the regulation's benefits far outweigh the costs, noting it could prevent up to $450 million in property damage alone, excluding the lives saved and injuries prevented.

The agency noted that ESC is one aspect of its comprehensive plan to address rollovers -- though it has been studying roof strength since 1991 without issuing a final regulation. Its current regulation was essentially written by Ford and GM in the early 1970s.

In August 2005, NHTSA issued a proposal to upgrade the strength of vehicle roofs -- in order to protect belted occupants in rollovers from being killed or injured if the roof caves in or is crushed. NHTSA's proposal has come under fire from safety advocates who say it is far too weak and from automakers who want NHTSA to water down its proposal on a number of fronts.
For all-terrain drivers, manufacturers may include an ESC on/off switch, because in some circumstances, off-roaders may want to turn it off. DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group -- in part because of its Jeep line -- sought that in the regulation. Small producers of 5,000 or less vehicles don't have to meet phase-in requirements beginning in 2008.



[Detroit News]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
great... more electronic nannys in the car... I'm so glad my car has NONE of that bulls***
 
nazgul350r said:
How about mandatory driving lessons for dumbasses
Thank you!

That's what I was saying when I saw that s*** in the news. Why don't the just make driving lessons tougher? God forbid people know how to handle a car in an emergency situation...
 
mikeyb said:
There better be a Off/On button!!
There might be, but it'll void your warranty if you use it lol (was it lexus or bmw who did that crap?).

Problem is, the ABS that'll now be required won't easily be turned off... hopefully it isn't craptastic ABS like everyone I've talked to (including someone who actually went through the pain of installing ABS on a non-ABS equipped car) said the Protege ABS is.

Why the HELL aren't they making side airbags mandatory before this s***??

EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION.
 
Back