Volkswagen has announced today that all of its 2009 models will come equipped with its standard Electronic Stabilzation Program (ESP).
This announcement means that Volkswagen will be the first non-luxury automaker to include stability control on all of its vehicles well ahead of the NHTSA's (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) deadline of 2012. By 2012 all new vehicles will have to come standard with it.
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PRESS RELEASE
VOLKSWAGEN INSTALLS ELECTRONIC STABILIZATION PROGRAM ACROSS THE LINE IN 2009
Volkswagen ahead of industry and the government's deadline
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that its Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) will be standard equipment on every 2009 model year Volkswagen vehicle – passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and minivans. By offering ESP as a standard feature, Volkswagen is the first non-luxury manufacturer to include an electronic stabilization system at no additional cost on every vehicle it sells – well ahead of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) deadline requiring all 2012 model year vehicles to have such systems.
"Volkswagen has long been a leader in making high technology accessible to all," said Volkswagen of America, Inc. CEO Stefan Jacoby. "ESP has been available on all Volkswagens in the US for several years. Now, making ESP standard across our entire line reinforces Volkswagen's commitment to safety for all our customers, and further shows why we are a market leader in offering some of the safest vehicles on the road today."
NHTSA predicts nearly 10,000 lives could be saved each year if all automakers included electronic stabilization systems as standard equipment.
Volkswagen's ESP system uses a number of electronic vehicle controls to make a safe car even safer and helps the driver maintain control of the vehicle during dynamic driving conditions. The ESP system works in conjunction with the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Anti-slip Regulation (ASR), components of the Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) system, and additional sensors.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com.
Comments (7)
Yea.... VW reliability is still lacking...
Posted by John | March 6, 2008 10:43 PM
Posted on March 6, 2008 22:43
I bet this deal dosent cover pick up trucks. So, its kind of useless cause big cars are the ones that need ESP the most.
IMHO, no well engineered small car need ESP, since thei are very predictable and controlable.
Anyway, in most of the cars this will be just a software upgrade, therefore no weight is added, no problem for me there.
Posted by Rafael Fernandes | March 7, 2008 7:43 AM
Posted on March 7, 2008 07:43
This will do a lot for the safety of bad drives. Yay for VW!
Posted by Cheap Car Lover | March 7, 2008 9:38 AM
Posted on March 7, 2008 09:38
"the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) deadline requiring all 2012 model year vehicles to have such systems."
Hrmph. Call me an old grouch, but I hope they don't outlaw such systems that include an 'off' switch. I'll acknowledge that for most drivers in all situations, and all drivers in most situations, such systems are useful, even preferable.
But for THIS driver, there are times I want to do the very things stability control systems try to eliminate. If I can't turn it off, I don't want it.
Posted by kw | March 7, 2008 10:15 AM
Posted on March 7, 2008 10:15
As soon as VW focuses on its quality control issues, then I will look at them. Until then, I will reserve judgement and my wallet.
Posted by longdxcommuter | March 7, 2008 3:18 PM
Posted on March 7, 2008 15:18
VW still makes the most unreliable cars on the road. Every year it seems they duke it out with Land Rover to see who will land on the bottom.
Posted by arthur pappas | March 11, 2008 11:50 AM
Posted on March 11, 2008 11:50
"I hope they don't outlaw such systems that include an 'off' switch." was mentioned by KW. My 2007 Jetta comes with ESP, and there IS a switch in the center console to shut it off. You get a yellow indicator (looks like a "slippery road" sign) on the instrument cluster when it's off.
I can't imagine that (unless our incompetent administration has forced it) we won't have the option on future cars of shutting it off. Oh, yeah... we probably won't. Still, I'm sure someone out there will figure out how to re-program the computer to make that possible.
Posted by Drummer | March 16, 2008 11:18 PM
Posted on March 16, 2008 23:18