Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ESC Building Blocks
ABS and Traction Control are the primary ‘Building Blocks’ in a Stability Control System. For ESC, the final necessary ingredients are a yaw rate sensor (which identifies how quickly the car is changing direction), longitudinal and lateral G sensors and a steering angle sensor. Some systems have additional inputs such as brake fluid pressure and throttle position. A stability control processor is required to analyze the sensor inputs and determine the appropriate action to maintain a safe vehicle attitude.
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Oversteer The rear wheels lose contact and begin to slip. The vehicle starts to spin out of control. ESC automatically applies the outside front brake to correct the problem and help to prevent a dangerous situation. |
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Understeer The front wheels lose contact with the road. The front-end of the vehicle slides out of the lane and out of the driver’s control as the wheels lose traction. ESC automatically applies the inside rear brake to help achieve desired turn. |
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