Number of Vehicles with Electronic Stability Control Increases in 2004 Model Year
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The Electronic Stability Control Coalition today announced that the availability of electronic stability control (ESC) increased in model year 2004, as vehicle manufacturers either made the automotive safety feature standard or expanded its availability. A full list of ESC equipped vehicles for the new model year is available on the Coalition’s website www.esceducation.org.
"This news bodes well for consumers looking to buy a safer vehicle and represents an important step toward reducing the number of crashes on America’s roads," said Jim Gill, Chairman of the ESC Coalition. "While we are encouraged by the increasing availability of ESC, actual installation rates indicate that consumers still need to be made aware of the feature so they know to ask for it when purchasing their next new vehicle."
ESC is a revolutionary active safety technology that uses advances in microelectronics to help drivers maintain control of their vehicle and prevent crashes before they occur. The system detects when a driver is about to lose control of a vehicle and automatically intervenes to provide stability and help the driver stay on course.
International research has shown that ESC could help prevent 15 percent of all crashes and 30 to 35 percent of single-vehicle crashes.
Model-year 2004 vehicles offering ESC for the first time are:
Acura TSX
Cadillac SRX
Cadillac XLR
Chevrolet Avalanche 1500
Chevrolet Express 3500
Chrysler Concorde
Chrysler Crossfire
Mazda RX-8
Mitsubishi Endeavor
Nissan Maxima
Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
Volkswagen Touareg
ESC is standard equipment on all Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz vehicles and Toyota sport-utility vehicles.
"As highway fatalities have reached a decade-high, consumers need to know how to better protect themselves on the road," said Rich Golitko, Vice Chairman of the ESC Coalition. "Electronic stability control is the easy safety choice. Anyone looking to buy a new vehicle should consider it an essential feature. Additionally, when shopping for a new car, consumers interested in ESC need to work with their dealer to ensure the specific trim line they are considering includes this safety technology."
ESC is marketed under various trade names, which can be found at www.esceducation.org.
The ESC Coalition was established in 2003 to inform consumers and other key audiences about the benefits of ESC systems. It is a joint effort of Robert Bosch Corporation and Continental Teves.
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