VSE Market To Rock Over SUV Rollovers

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--High sport-utility vehicle rollover rates are likely to drive a six-fold increase in the use of Vehicle Stability Enhancement (VSE) Systems by 2005, according to a study from the Tier One automotive research firm.

“By 2008, more than 21 percent of all North American built vehicles will come with some form of stability enhancing system, a huge increase from just 3 percent in year 2000,” predicted Ray Schubert, director of Tier One’s chassis systems group. “During the same period, installation of ABS will increase by 19 percent and Traction Control Systems (TCS)--an essential function of VDC--will increase by 84 percent.”

The total market of VDC/VSE is expected to exceed $1.5 billion in 2008.

Tier One’s forthcoming report on vehicle stability systems reinforces the need for industry to provide new solutions to SUV and light truck safety issues, said Schubert. “These systems provide greater levels of stability and directional control than Rear Wheel ABS (RW-ABS) and 4Wheel ABS (4W-ABS) systems currently found on most SUVs.”

At the heart of the issue is rollover, he said. “NHSTA research confirms that loss of directional control has been found to precede rollover in 50 to 80 percent of all rollover crashes. As a proportion, SUVs exceed all other classes of vehicles.”

Examples of new stability systems include: Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) on the Mercedes M-class, which uses engine torque control combined with active brake control. Land Rover’s Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) is a suspension-based control system now available on the 2000 Discovery. The 2001 Subaru Outback will have a Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) system that balances engine torque to improve stability. And, GM’s Quadrasteer, a Four-Wheel Steering system (4WS), that actively steers the rear wheels, will soon be available on GM trucks.

VDC, or brake based stability control, will continue to be the primary system platform for VSE because of product maturity and integration of Anti- Lock Brakes and Traction Control Systems. This system strategy will prevail--providing the best formula for future Brake-by-Wire control, Schubert predicted.

Schubert said the company’s new reports on vehicle stability systems “will provide an extensive analysis of the developing market, the suppliers and the programs of automakers moving to adopt these new technologies.”

For more information, contact www.tierone.com.