EC unveils compulsory ESP plans
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The European Commission has outlined plans to make ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) anti-skid control systems compulsory in all newly-launched cars from 2012.
ESP has been hailed as the most significant car safety advancement since the seatbelt. It works alongside anti-lock braking and traction control systems to correct the path of a vehicle during a crash.
Under the EC proposals, ESP would also become standard in all new cars from 2014, regardless of when the model was first developed.
Commenting on the plan to roll the technology out across the industry, John Lewis of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association said that companies stood to benefit from adopting the technology.
"These new safety rules will help fleet managers control the risk associated with company cars," he asserted. "Supplying the latest vehicles with features like electronic stability controls will show that employers are providing the safest cars possible."
According to the EC, standard fitment of ESP would cut the number of vehicle-related deaths on European roads by 5,000 every year.
