What is ESC and How Does It Work?

Published on May 15, 2012 by dodge

What is ESC? Electronic stability control, or ESC, uses the speed sensors on each wheel and the ability to brake individual wheels that are the basis of antilock brakes. ESC adds a control unit that monitors steering wheel angle and vehicle rotation around the vehicle's vertical axis. This unit uses the steering and rotation information to detect that the vehicle is about to travel in a direction different from the one indicated by the steering wheel position. Then ESC automatically brakes the appropriate wheel to help the driver maintain control. In many cases engine power also is reduced.

How ESC helps drivers maintain control: A driver loses control when the vehicle goes in a direction different from the one indicated by the position of the steering wheel. This typically occurs when a driver tries to turn very hard (swerve) or to turn on a slippery road. Then the vehicle may understeer or oversteer.

When a vehicle understeers it turns less than the driver intended and continues in a forward direction because the front wheels have insufficient traction. When it oversteers it turns more than the driver intended because the rear end is spinning or sliding out. ESC can prevent understeering and oversteering by briefly braking the appropriate wheel. In many cases engine power also is reduced.

Eleven 2012 Chrysler Group LLC Models Named Top Safety Picks by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has named 11 models from Chrysler Group LLC as Top Safety Picks for 2012. The 2012 models include the Chrysler Town & Country, 300 and 200; Dodge Grand Caravan, Durango, Charger, Journey and Avenger; Jeep® Grand Cherokee and Patriot and the Fiat 500. The IIHS annually recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover and rear crashes based on a “good” rating in a series of tests conducted by the Institute.

Additionally, the vehicles must be equipped with standard electronic stability control systems.

Following their introduction last year, both the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger return again after achieving the highest ratings. Both models received ‘good’ ratings in all four categories.

Also returning to the list are the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango and Chrysler 200. The three models were introduced last year and received top marks from the institute too. Dodge Avenger and Journey have been named Top Safety Picks by IIHS for four consecutive years.

Recently, the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, along with the 2012 Fiat 500, were named Top Safety Picks. Both minivans offer more than 40 standard or available safety features. The 2012 models of Town & Country and Grand Caravan received strength-to-weight ratio ratings of 4.51, among the highest of the minivans tested and above the IIHS requirement of 4.0. The U.S. government’s minimum requirement is 1.5.




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