University of Iowa Automotive Safety Study Finds 34% More Drivers Maintain Control With Electronic Stability Control

- First-Of-Its-Kind Testing via NHTSA's National Advanced Driving Simulator Confirms ESC Can Prevent Crashes and Save Lives-

DETROIT, March 8 -- A new research study conducted by the University of Iowa delivers groundbreaking evidence supporting the effectiveness of Electronic Stability Control (ESC). Employing the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS) owned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and operated by The University of Iowa, researchers were able to study drivers during true-to-life critical driving scenarios that could lead to a loss of vehicle control. The study concludes that 34 percent more drivers maintained control of their vehicles with ESC than without.

The study, unveiled during opening day of the Society of Automotive Engineers annual World Congress, compared driver performance during three selected loss-of-control scenarios -- incursion of another vehicle into the driver's path, curve departure and wind gust-between two vehicles equipped with an ESC system and the same vehicles without the system. Researchers chose the scenarios from the well-known industry accident classifications in the crash avoidance document "44 Crashes." The results show that vehicles equipped with ESC systems provide a significant safety benefit by helping drivers maintain control of their vehicle.

The University of Iowa NADS study adds to a growing body of research underscoring the effectiveness of ESC in avoiding crashes and saving lives. Previous observational studies -- from the Swedish National Road Administration; Mercedes and DEKRA Automotive Research in Germany; the European Accident Causation; and Toyota in Japan -- had shown that ESC could help prevent 15 percent of all crashes and 30 to 35 percent of single-vehicle crashes.

"This research, the first hi-fidelity simulator-based analysis of driver response to vehicles with and without Electronic Stability Control, significantly changes the automotive safety landscape," said University of Iowa researcher Yiannis E. Papelis, Ph.D., one of the leading researchers on the study. "Using the National Advanced Driving Simulator allowed us to observe human behavior and measure drivers' reactions in conditions that would be too dangerous to conduct in real life. Compellingly, the results found ESC can reduce the risk of losing control by as much as 88 percent, which equates to an increase of 34 percent in the number of drivers who maintained control of their vehicles with the ESC system activated."

"The University of Iowa's ground-breaking study provides evidential support to the previous claims that ESC can prevent crashes and help save thousands of lives," said Betty Mercer, former Governor's Highway Safety Representative for the state of Michigan and current ESC Coalition Advisory Panel Member. "These new findings validate why we continue our quest to educate consumers on this revolutionary active safety technology."

The research team, which also included Timothy Brown, Ph.D., Ginger Watson, Ph.D., Dale Holtz, Ph.D., and Weidong Pan, Ph.D. garnered results by comparing percentages of drivers who maintained control of their vehicles under the selected sets of adverse conditions, with and without ESC.

What is ESC:

ESC is an active safety equipment that helps 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.

ESC is marketed under various trade names, which can be found at www.esceducation.org.

ESC Coalition Mission Statement

The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Coalition was formed in 2003 with the mission of educating consumers and other key audiences about the revolutionary active safety technology known as ESC. The ESC Coalition members believe that the widespread installation of ESC systems can play a significant role in helping to prevent crashes on America's roads. The Coalition seeks to increase the public's general awareness of this milestone in automotive safety. Through a national education campaign, the ESC Coalition aims to provide consumers with comprehensive information on ESC, including educational materials, technical data, video demonstrations, industry studies, and news about ESC.

For additional information on the ESC Coalition, please visit www.esceducation.org.