Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Car Culture

Drivers should welcome emphasis on stability control

By John McCormick / Special to The Detroit News

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Electronic stability control, also known as ESC, is a phrase consumers will be hearing a lot more in the coming months.

Previously the preserve of the luxury car market, stability control is making its way into the mainstream auto market and promises to improve vehicle safety significantly, much as the widespread introduction of antilock brakes did a decade ago.

In dealer showrooms across the country, stability control will be become more of a debating point this fall. That's because Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. becomes the first automaker to offer stability control as standard equipment on a midsize sedan -- the 2006 Sonata.

Other automakers offer stability control systems on their mainstream sedans but make them optional, charging $500 or more. Several automakers also charge for antilock brake systems, reasoning that customers want to be able to choose whether to pay for such safety equipment.

Regardless of whether antilock brakes or stability control are standard or optional equipment, the question consumers need to consider is whether these systems are important enough to sway their purchase decision.

Government research suggests that stability control is a valuable addition to a vehicle's safety arsenal. Studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have found that passenger cars with stability control are involved in 35 percent fewer single-vehicle crashes and suffer 30 percent fewer single-vehicle fatalities.

Many automakers have their own names for stability control. General Motors Corp. refers to its system as StabiliTrak. But the technology is basically the same.

It works by using the brakes and reducing engine power to bring a vehicle under control when on-board sensors detect a slide or skid.

Early efforts to apply such systems in vehicles sometimes resulted in overintrusive computer intervention, leaving drivers frustrated.

But more computing power and software refinements have made the latest systems better at controlling a car's path without giving the impression of being an "electronic nanny."

So capable are the latest stability systems that even in exotic sports cars, where getting the vehicle "out of shape" is often considered part of the fun of driving, many drivers are happy to leave the stability control switched on.

For everyday drivers, the availability of stability control, either as standard equipment or as an option, should be welcomed, because it reduces your chances of sliding off the road or being involved in an accident.

Should a crash occur, proper use of seat belts is essential and airbag systems will cushion the blow, but remember it is always better to avoid the accident in the first place.

Car culture; John McCormick is a columnist for The Detroit News' Autos Insider Web site. He can be reached at jmccormick@detnews.com.