If you enter a curve too fast and start
to lose control of your vehicle, you
might not safely make it through the
turn.  Electronic stability control is a
feature that can help you avoid this
kind of disaster.  About half of all fatal
passenger vehicle crashes on US roads
involve a single vehicle and crash
studies indicate that ESC can reduce
these crashes by more than half.  ESC is
an extension of anti-lock brake
technology with speed sensors and
independent breaking for each wheel.
Additional ESC sensors continuously
monitor a driver's steering input.  They
can tell if the vehicle is pointed in
the intended direction.  On slippery roads,
curves, or in emergency maneuvers.  The
front end of a vehicle may start to plow
ahead or the rear end may spin out.  When
this occurs ESC brakes individual wheels
to maintain control.  They may also reduce
engine speed to bring the car back into
the intended line of travel.
The benefits of ESC are clear.
If every vehicle on the road had
ESC, you might avoid as many as 600,000
single vehicle crashes each year and
save as many as 10,000 lives.
