ESC: Vehicle technology designed to
reduce accidents and save lives
High-tech crash-avoidance now required on all new cars, light trucks, and SUVs
What is it?
It's called Electronic Stability Control or ESC. In a nutshell, it's an amazing on-board electronic system that helps prevent spin-outs and roll-overs. It's a fact: Most accidents that involve losing control of the vehicle occur when the vehicle is driven beyond its traction limits like during over-steer or under-steer conditions or driving too fast for conditions. ESC senses when the vehicle is rolling or leaning too far or when the tires begin to lose traction. It instantly reduces engine speed and applies one of the individual wheel brakes in just the right amount to keep the vehicle in control.
The chart below shows the rapid growth of ESC. (The U.S. government mandated that all 2012 vehicles must have ESC safety systems).
Percentage of vehicles with ESC by model year:
If it is a model year 2000 or newer, it may have ESC. You may have ESC and not know it, since ESC is sometimes called by different names depending on the manufacturer. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety provides a list of vehicles with ESC. To find out if your specific vehicle is equipped with ESC visit their website. [http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/esc.html]
An array of sensors provide vehicle operation conditions to one of the vehicle's on-board computers. When the computer determines that the vehicle is losing control, it instantly begins reducing engine speed through the engine management system and then applies the appropriate individual brake in just the right proportions to keep the vehicle in control. You can read a full explanation below, or watch this video demonstration from the Discovery Channel.
Numerous studies have shown ESC is highly effective at preventing loss-of-control and fatal crashes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates 10,000 fatal crashes and up to 238,000 injuries could be avoided each year*. Vehicles with ESC reduce the risk a fatal loss-of-control by half, and reduces rollover risk by up to 80%. ESC has been described as the most important advancement in safety by automotive experts. (*in the United States).
Because of this significant reduction in roadway accidents and fatalities, the United States, Canada, and Australia are implementing new legislation requiring ESC in all new passenger vehicles.
Since 2005 the United States has had legislation requiring a percentage of new passenger vehicles to have ESC. This percentage requirement has increased with each model year. By the 2012 model year, all passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. will be required to have ESC.
Estimates show that 60% of all vehicles in service bays are 4 to 12 years old. There are scores of 10 year old ESC-equipped vehicles on the road today. Almost a third of 2005 model year vehicles have ESC and more than half of all 2007 light duty vehicles are equipped with ESC.
It’s important for both motorist and service provider to know whether the vehicle has ESC or not. Why? Two big reasons:
- The effectiveness of ESC is limited by the ability of the tires and the vehicle’s suspension. If the tires can’t grip the road, then it’s just like driving on ice and therefore, it’s important to have good tires and ride control components that aren’t worn.
- Replacement parts (like shocks and struts) must be calibrated to perform within the vehicle’s design. Some aftermarket parts (especially low cost/low quality parts) are not as capable. These parts will affect the performance of ESC and may cause brakes to apply when you don’t want them to.
Maintenance suggestions for ESC-equipped vehicles
While the electronic components of your ESC system won't wear like tires, shocks, struts, or brakes; they should be inspected on a regular basis. Check your Owner's Manual for a schedule provided by the manufacturer.
Wearable parts like the brakes, shocks, struts, and tires all require regular maintenance and periodic replacement. The Motorist Assurance Program and the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association (AMRA) suggest replacing OE shocks and struts after 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers).
Brake and tire wear rates vary, so ask your local Certified Ride Control Specialist to inspect them and other components that affect ESC. With proper maintenance, you can be sure that ESC will continue to keep your vehicle operating as it was designed.
ESC-equipped vehicles, like all vehicles, require periodic replacement of brake pads, shocks and struts, tires, and other wearable parts. These replacement parts can be purchased and installed at a automotive service center near you. Be sure to choose replacement parts that are designed to restore the vehicle's originally designed handling and control capabilities. Restoring original handling and control is critical to ESC performance.
- World's largest shock & strut supplier to OE's.
- Manufactured on KYB's OE assembly lines.
- Aftermarket-designed to restore OE performance.
Restoring designed performance is critical. Even with ESC, stopping and turning still depends on good tire traction. Good tire traction depends greatly on well-functioning shocks and struts. The ability of ESC to do its job can be compromised by worn, low-quality, or under-calibrated shocks or struts.
- Worn shocks lose there critical effectiveness after 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers).
- Low-quality aftermarket shocks are engineered and perform differently from OE. The difference in performance shifts stress and wear towards other components, like brakes and tires.
- OEM parts do not compensate for wear and miles driven. Only KYB OEA products are calibrated to restore originally-designed ESC capabilities.
OEA stands for Original Equipment for the Aftermarket. It is the baseline for all of KYB's products. We don't believe in manufacturing a product that delivers less than the original design that it is replacing.
How is ESC different from ABS or Traction Control?
In a nutshell: ABS works great at preventing skidding and sliding in a straight line, and Traction Control prevents wheel slippage, but only ESC prevents vehicles from skidding during curves.
- ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) is designed to eliminate the tires from locking up or skidding during heavy braking. This helps keep traction and improves maneuverability.
- Traction Control is designed to keep the tires from spinning during acceleration, like on wet or icy conditions. This helps traction during acceleration.
- Electronic Stability Control is designed to slow and control the vehicle from under-steer and over-steer. It uses both ABS and Traction control advantages, along with engine management and a yaw rate sensor to know when the vehicle is going a different direction than the driver intended. This hybrid system helps avoid spin-outs and roll-overs, which in turn, saves lives.
A Visual Tour of the ESC System
ESC uses the same sensors as ABS and Traction Control, then adds a yaw rate sensor and in some cases a steering angle sensor. This basically results in a computer system that knows the speed of every tire, the intended engine speed, the lean & roll of the vehicle on its axis, the intended steering direction, and when any tire is losing traction. The ESC Computer System is capable of more operational input and can make more driving corrections than any human will ever be capable of.
- Wheel sensors, which monitor speed, direction and rotation.
- Lateral and longitudinal acceleration sensors, which monitors the vehicle’s speed and direction.
- A steering angle sensor, which monitors the driver’s intended direction.
- A yaw sensor, which monitors the vehicle for symptoms of a skid (also known as “spinning out of control”).
ABS, Traction Control, and ESC all control the vehicle by modulating brakes on individual wheels in precise amounts. Unlike the others, ESC also has the ability to modulate the throttle (engine speed) and transmission.
- Individually controlled brakes.
- Throttle (engine speed) control.
- Transmission control (on some models).
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