Does your car have ESP?
If you were thinking Extra-Sensory Perception you're not all that far off. An Electronic Stabilization Program is an active safety system that uses the anti-lock brake and traction control sensors amongst others, to detect if a vehicle is sliding out of control. It 'reads' the road and senses if you're in trouble. Most automotive manufacturers have a system similar to ESP, although they may call it something else. General Motors calls their system Stabilitrak. Nissan and Infiniti call their system VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control). All of these systems are stability systems. ESP is the most widely used term as it pioneered this technology. How it works Sensors monitor vehicle yaw rate (rotational movement of the car), speed, throttle input, steering wheel angle and others to determine if the vehicle is heading in its intended direction. If, for example, you are turning a corner and encounter oversteer (rear wheels are sliding), the sensors will reduce engine power, and apply the brake to the front outside tire. In this situation the front outside tire is being used as a 'pivot point' in which to get the car back on it's intended course. As you can see, a stability system can apply the brake to just one wheel, and/or reduce engine output. This will keep the vehicle headed in the right direction. A stability system works with the traction control system but unlike traction control, it monitors lateral vehicle movement in addition to longitudinal movements. Stability systems are well worth the money. They can dramatically enhance the safety of a vehicle. They can keep the vehicle on course and provide a safety net for a driver should something go wrong. ESP can significantly reduce oversteer and understeer.
However, these systems are still subject to the laws of physics. If you take a corner way too fast or do some thing very reckless, a stability management system will not be able to rectify the situation.
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