Insurance Institute says ESC reduces fatal crash risk

June 22, 2006
Researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (www.iihs.org) estimate that electronic stability control (ESC) reduces the risk of fatal multiple-vehicle crashes by 32% and fatal single-vehicle by 56%. ESC, an extension of antilock brake technology, is designed to help drivers retain control of their vehicles during high-speed maneuvers or on slippery roads.

Researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimate that electronic stability control (ESC) reduces the risk of fatal multiple-vehicle crashes by 32% and fatal single-vehicle by 56%. ESC, an extension of antilock brake technology, is designed to help drivers retain control of their vehicles during high-speed maneuvers or on slippery roads. IIHS said that if all vehicles were equipped with ESC, as many as 10,000 fatal crashes could be avoided each year.

"ESC should be standard on all vehicles," said Susan Ferguson, IIHS senior vice president for research. "Very few safety technologies show this kind of large effect in reducing crash deaths.

"ESC is standard on 40% of 2006 passenger vehicle models and optional on another 15%. The technology is standard on all 2006 Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Mercedes and Porsche vehicles. The technology is available on 25% or fewer models from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Hummer, Mazda, Mitsubish, Saturn, Subaru and Suzuki.

IIHS said the percentage of SUV models with standard ESC has been growing faster than for cars. ESC costs between $300 and $800 as a stand-alone option, but can cost more than $2,000 on some models when packaged with other equipment.

Sponsored Recommendations

Board-Mount DC/DC Converters in Medical Applications

March 27, 2024
AC/DC or board-mount DC/DC converters provide power for medical devices. This article explains why isolation might be needed and which safety standards apply.

Use Rugged Multiband Antennas to Solve the Mobile Connectivity Challenge

March 27, 2024
Selecting and using antennas for mobile applications requires attention to electrical, mechanical, and environmental characteristics: TE modules can help.

Out-of-the-box Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity with AWS IoT ExpressLink

March 27, 2024
This demo shows how to enroll LTE-M and Wi-Fi evaluation boards with AWS IoT Core, set up a Connected Health Solution as well as AWS AT commands and AWS IoT ExpressLink security...

How to Quickly Leverage Bluetooth AoA and AoD for Indoor Logistics Tracking

March 27, 2024
Real-time asset tracking is an important aspect of Industry 4.0. Various technologies are available for deploying Real-Time Location.

Comments

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Electronic Design, create an account today!