New vehicles that lack Electronic Stability Control – which is widely considered to be a vital safety feature – are still being freely sold in New Zealand, despite being banned in Australia.
Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of the car review website http://www.dogandlemon.com/, says:
“As from November 1, 2013, cars without Electronic Stability Control were banned from Australia. However, they can still be freely sold in New Zealand. This is madness. There’s one thing that all safety campaigners agree on: Electronic Stability Control is one the most important safety features on a modern car."
Electronic Stability Control detects when a vehicle is skidding and selectively brakes the individual wheels to bring the vehicle back under control.
Studies by the respected American Institute for Highway Safety showed that: “Electronic Stability Control lowers the risk of a fatal single-vehicle crash by about half and the risk of a fatal rollover by up to 80 percent.”
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/brochures/shopping-for-a-safer-car-2013
The New Zealand government promotes Electronic Stability Control in some of its road safety publicity, but allows new cars to be sold without it.
Matthew-Wilson says this policy is hypocrisy:
“The government often blames bad driving for the road toll. However, the fact remains that vehicles with stability control have a far higher chance of avoiding fatal accidents than those without it, regardless of how they are driven.”
“Many of the vehicles without Electronic Stability Control, such as the Mitsubishi L300 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpP06lotEuE), are proven killers. It’s scandalous that, in 2013, deathtrap vehicles are being freely sold new in this country, despite being banned overseas."
"Quite simply, innocent people are sure to die unnecessarily as a result of this madness. The government has blood on its hands.”
New vehicles sold without Electronic Stability Control:
• Chery J1, J3 and J11
• Great Wall V200, V240 and X240
• Land Rover Defender
• Mitsubishi L300
• Mitsubishi Triton (some versions)
• Nissan Navara (some versions)
• Ssangyong Actyon (some versions)
• Ssangyong Korando (some versions)
• Ssangyong Rexton (some versions)
• Suzuki Jimny
• Toyota Hilux (some versions)
What manufacturers call Electronic Stability Control:
Not all ESC systems are identical. The hardware is similar, but there are variations in the way systems activate when a driver begins to lose control. In an ideal world, all the manufacturers would describe Electronic Stability Control as Electronic Stability Control. However, many manufacturers give it a different name in order to distinguish their brand from others. Below is a list of manufacturers that use Electronic Stability Control, and what they call it.
Maker How they describe Electronic Stability Control
Aston Martin Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Audi Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
BMW Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Chrysler Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Citroën Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Ford Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) / Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Great Wall Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Holden Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Honda Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Hummer StabiliTrak
Hyundai Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Jaguar Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Kia Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Land Rover Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Lexus Vehicle Skid Control (VSC)
Mazda Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Mercedes-Benz Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Mini Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Mitsubishi Active Skid and Traction Control
Nissan Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
Peugeot Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Porsche Porsche Stability Management (PSM)
Proton Vehicle stability control (VSC)
Renault Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Rolls-Royce Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Saab Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control System (VDCS)
Toyota Vehicle Skid Control (VSC)
Volkswagen Electronic Stabilisation Program (ESP)
Volvo Dynamic Stability & Traction Control (DSTC)
