Keeping
Drivers Safe: Automakers Adopt Stability Control Technology Trend Helps
Prevent Rollovers and Spin-Outs
DETROIT, Jan. 7
/PRNewswire/ -- To some people, ``spin control'' means making the best
of bad news.
To auto engineers,
however, spin control means making the best of bad driving situations,
which is why stability control systems are among the fastest growing
features in new cars and trucks.
The driving stability
system known as the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is on constant
standby to assist drivers as critical situations arise in the twists
and turns of driving. It is an interactive safety system that significantly
improves vehicle stability in all three areas of vehicle performance:
accelerating, cornering and braking. It can help avoid potential accidents,
and helps drivers maintain control of their vehicles even in critical
situations.
ESP, through electrical
sensors strategically placed throughout the vehicle, analyzes steering
wheel activity, wheel speeds, acceleration and the vehicles rotation
about its vertical axis (called yaw) and continually analyzes this data
to determine whether the actual course of the vehicle corresponds to
the desired direction. If this is not the case, by braking individual
wheels, ESP corrects understeer and oversteer, and helps keep vehicles
on the road.
In the words of
one automotive journalist, ``It is like having God as your co-pilot.''
Introduced in the
late 1990s, stability systems were first applied to premium brands as
an added safety feature, much like anti-lock brakes were once the reserve
of luxury marques.
``ESP was not designed
for luxury or high performance cars alone,'' states Bill Kozyra, President,
Continental Teves N.A. ``It's meant to enhance driveability and safety,
which makes it ideal for all vehicles, including vans and SUVs.''
In fact, experts
predict that SUVs will adopt ESP even faster than cars because it adds
an extra measure of safety by keeping the vehicle pointed in the direction
the driver is steering. Crashes can occur when a vehicle skids or slides
sideways and is tripped. ESP helps the driver keep the vehicle on the
road and pointed in the intended direction.
The technology has
grabbed the attention of the National Highway and Safety Administration
(NHTSA). According to one safety regulator in the agency, ``What makes
Electronic Stability Control promising is the possibility that with
its aid, many drivers will avoid running off the road and having a single
vehicle crash in the first place.''
As ESP became more
popular, more mainstream vehicles began offering the system as an option.
Currently, the Ford Focus is the least expensive car consumers can purchase
with the system.
Continental Teves
supplied 1.4 million ESP systems to automakers in 2000, expects to sell
about 2.8 million this year and has orders for about 3.4 million units
from automakers for 2003, a remarkable increase. Says Kozyra, ``Consumers
tell us that they want these systems to be standard equipment. They
shouldn't have to mark box 'x' when they order a car or truck to be
as safe as possible. Airbags were once an option, too.''
Vehicles that offer
the technology today in North America include: the aforementioned Ford
Focus; all Volvo models; all BMW models; all Audi models, the VW Bug
and Eurovan; the Toyota Sequoia; all Jaguar models; the Lincoln LS sedan
and all Mercedes-Benz models. But many analysts are expecting that many
of the models unveiled at the North American International Auto Show
in Detroit to offer the technology as customers continue to demand technologies
that enhance safety and security.
Continental Teves,
headquartered in Frankfurt/Main Germany, is a unit of Continental AG,
Hanover, Germany. With 2001 sales of approximately $9.9 billion (US),
Continental is a world leader in the design, development and supply
of critical brake and chassis systems that contribute to driving safety
and comfort. Continental Teves' North American component is headquartered
in Auburn Hills, Mich. For additional information visit these websites:
www.conti-online.com
and www.contitevesna.com.
SOURCE: Continental Teves
###
Back
to News
