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Ever since the first Mercedes A-Class flipped over an imaginary moose during testing in the late 1990s, electronic stability control (ESC) systems have moved from a quick fix to a commonplace new vehicle offering. Supplier studies show 61% of car buyers have a strong interest in the system if the option price is no higher than $600. Yet fewer than 25% of 2007 passenger vehicles are expected to offer the technology for the simple reason that new car buyers don't expect to ever find themselves in a situation where ESC is needed.

"It's tough trying to sell a safety system like ESC to the end consumer," says Scott Dahl, marketing director, Chassis System Management at Bosch. "They can see the value of an entertainment system, but can't justify the expense of ESC." Perhaps buyers need to be introduced to Critical Sliding Velocity (CSV), the lateral velocity at which a trip (hitting a curb, sliding onto a soft shoulder) can induce a rollover. For cars, the speed range is 11 mph to 18 mph. For light trucks and SUVs, the speed range is 9 mph to 13 mph. Of course, it takes more work to get a car--which has a higher effective track width--into this situation, thus the real world rollover disparity between cars and light trucks and the reason many OEMs will offer ESC across their SUV lines by the end of the decade.

Another way to entice OEMs and buyers alike is to expand the capabilities of ESC systems through value-added functions that answer specific needs, thereby moving the sales focus away from an extreme condition safety system toward one with more everyday utility. Many are based on adding functionality to the brake units used in the ESC systems. Others add software to existing hardware. Bosch, Continental, and Delphi each have added variations on the ESC theme to their portfolios.

# posted by Medical Information : 2:39 AM