Electronic Stability Control - Availability and Cost

Availability and Cost

ESC is built on top of an anti-lock brake (ABS) system, and all ESC-equipped vehicles are fitted with traction control. The ESC components include a yaw rate sensor, a lateral acceleration sensor, a steering wheel sensor, and an upgraded integrated control unit. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research, ABS in 2005 cost an estimated US$368; ESC cost a further US$111. The retail price of ESC varies; as a stand-alone option it retails for as little as $250 USD. However, ESC is rarely offered as a sole option, and is generally not available for aftermarket installation. Instead, it is frequently bundled it with other features or more expensive trims, so the cost of a package that includes ESC could be several thousand dollars. Nonetheless, ESC is considered highly cost-effective and it might pay for itself in reduced insurance premiums. In the US, Federal regulations will require that ESC be installed as a standard feature on all passenger cars and light trucks beginning in 2012.

Availability of ESC in passenger vehicles varies between manufacturers and countries. In 2007, ESC was available in roughly 50% of new North American models compared to about 75% in Sweden. However, consumer awareness affects buying patterns so that roughly 45% of vehicles sold in North America and the UK are purchased with ESC, contrasting with 78–96% in other European countries such as Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. While few vehicles had ESC prior to 2004, increased awareness will increase the number of vehicles with ESC on the used car market.

ESC is available on cars, SUVs and pickup trucks from all major auto makers. Luxury cars, sports cars, SUVs, and crossovers are usually equipped with ESC. Midsize cars are also gradually catching on, though the 2008 model years of the Nissan Altima and Ford Fusion only offered ESC on their V6 engine-equipped cars; however, some midsize cars, such as the Honda Accord had it as standard equipment by then. While ESC includes traction control, there are vehicles such as the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LS and 2008 Mazda6 that have traction control but not ESC. ESC is rare among subcompact cars as of 2008. The 2009 Toyota Corolla in the United States (but not Canada) has stability control as a $250 option on all trims below that of the XRS which has it as standard. In Canada, for the 2010 Mazda3, ESC is as an option on the midrange GS trim as part of the moonroof package, and is standard on the top-of-the-line GT version. The 2009 Ford Focus has ESC as an option for the S and SE models, and standard on the SEL and SES models

In the UK, even mass-market superminis such as the Ford Fiesta Mk.6 and VW Polo Mk.5 come with ESC as standard.

ESC is also available on some motor homes. Elaborate ESC and ESP systems (including Roll Stability Control (RSC)) are available for many commercial vehicles, including transport trucks, trailers, and buses from manufacturers such as Bendix Corporation, WABCO Daimler, Scania AB, and Prevost, and light passenger vehicles.

The ChooseESC! campaign, run by the EU's eSafetyAware! project, provides a global perspective on ESC. One ChooseESC! publication shows the availability of ESC in EU member countries.

In the US, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) website shows availability of ESC in individual US models and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA website) lists US models with ESC.

In Australia, the National Roads and Motorists' Association NRMA shows the availability of ESC in Australian models.