What is the Purpose of the Vehicle Stability System?
2 Answers
Vehicle Stability System (ESP) is a crucial active safety feature in automobiles. Its primary function is to prevent skidding and loss of control when the vehicle is taking sharp turns at high speeds, and the front or rear wheels responsible for driving and steering begin to slip. The ESP achieves this by automatically applying brakes to other wheels and intervening in the engine management system. The working principle of ESP is based on the more advanced functionalities derived from the ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and ASR (Traction Control System). It uses sensors distributed throughout the vehicle to assess the driving conditions and intervenes in the power distribution. The ESP can individually brake one or multiple wheels simultaneously, thereby maintaining the stability of the vehicle's movement and ensuring directional control.
I find the vehicle stability system extremely useful. When driving my old car in the rain, I always felt like the rear wheels were about to slide out during turns, and once I nearly skidded into a guardrail. Now with this system in my new car, it's much more reassuring. It's like having a helper on standby at all times—if the wheels spin too fast or the car starts to fishtail, the computer detects it immediately and applies individual braking to specific wheels, pulling the direction back in line instantly. Once when taking my kid to school on icy roads, the car tilted slightly, but the system kicked in right away to stabilize it, making the drive much more secure. For friends who frequently drive on highways, this feature is particularly practical, especially when visibility is poor at night. I strongly recommend opting for this system when buying a car.
