Feds to require electronic stability control on all vehicles 9/14/2006

[Kolesar]

Something else to make cars heavier and more expensive. I sure as hell don't want a "controller" taking over the throttle and brakes when I am driving. The brakes !!

IMO, this is a technology developed to solve a problem on the big, unresponsive SUVs that are now a declining market segment. They were top heavy and had terrible steering response so drivers would lose control of them and crash. The correct solution is engineering proper steering response, good tires, ethical driving and slowing down.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060914/UPDATE/609140434


McLEAN, Va -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed this morning mandating electronic stability control by the start of the 2012 model year.

The technology can prevent up to 80 percent of rollovers and keep cars from slipping off roads in icy or snowy conditions by using sensors that automatically adjust their brakes to keep vehicles from losing control.

"This is the greatest life saving improvement since the safety belt," NHTSA administrator Nicole Nason said.

All automakers support the regulation and will comply -- in many cases ahead of schedule.

About 29 percent of 2006 models and 57 of all SUVS are currently equipped. Toyota and Ford will make electronic stability control standard on all vehicles by 2009. General Motors will do so by the end of 2010; Chrysler Group already provides it on 54 percent of all vehicles and all SUVs. GM and Ford will make it standard on all SUVs by the end of 2007.

...edit for copyright...

More:
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=nhtsa+stability

[tech3149]

1. God knows it would take too much effort

to ACTUALLY learn to drive! I drive a completely manual car no abs, traction control, manual gearbox and I can drive like a freakin madman without worrying about stability.

[mccoyn]

2. I thought the same thing about Anti-Lock brakes.

I thought I knew how to pump the brakes and maintain control. Since I've been driving with them I've only used them once. Having felt the speed that it pumps the brakes I'm convinced that you can't brake that well manually. So I expect this will make cars safer, especially SUVs.

My big problem is with making it a law and for all vehicles because it inhibits small car manufactures. At a minimum a small car manufacture needs someone who can build engines and all the other mechanics of a car. This requires they also hire someone who can setup electronics. The law increases the cost of entry into the market.

[Kolesar]

3. Salesman: You don't need anti-lock brakes

I was all excited when I was new car shopping in 1989. I told the salesman that I thought that ABS was a great thing. He said that in a normal passenger car you don't need them. The application that ABS is trying to solve is a truck with a light rear end. During braking, the weight (center of gravity) shifts to the front, only a small amount of friction is available on the rear tires. The tires lock up and the vehicle begins to fishtail or spin out.

Normal Force on rear wheels * coefficient of static friction => Force of friction on the tire.

This would also apply to a car like a Camaro, that is a light car with a heavy engine in the front and a weight distribution of 60% front/40% rear or worse.

--o--
I agree with your point on it being a market barrier.

[mccoyn]

5. Ice

The one time ABS kicked in for me was when I was on black ice trying to stop after the guy in front of me got off it and decided to stop suddenly. I always figured that without the ABS the wheels would have locked and the car would become a sled. Whether I would have the presence of mind to pump the brakes in that second, I don't know.

[skids]

4. Well, that hybrid mini kit should easily make the cut.

...and I would imagine that it won't be the only chassis the kit is made for, going forward.

(My guess is we'll be seeing a lot more hybrids with one-electric-motor-per-wheel as a results of this.)

[One_Life_To_Give]

6. One more thing to fail like my ABS

Nothing like having a computer decide "No I won't let you stop"