LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems’ new Electronic Stability Control (ESC) for truck/tractor applications, is founded on the company’s existing E-version anti-lock braking system (ABS).

The ESC system will be available beginning May 2005 and builds upon the already-established Roll Stability Control (RSC) system currently operating on more than 10,000 commercial vehicles across North America.

“This new system provides another level of vehicle control by sensing the vehicle’s tendency to rotate and automatically applying the brakes to reduce that risk,” said Denny Sandberg, president of Vehicle Control Systems.

He added that while ESC is an added instrument in vehicle stability, drivers are still the critical element in the driving equation.

ESC combines the features of the company’s Roll Stability Control (RSC) system with added yaw (rotational) sensing. This improves vehicle handling and performance if there is an impending loss of control due to rotational forces. These rotational forces may occur as a result of rapid lane change, or cornering maneuvers on slippery surfaces. RSC is an optional feature of the company’s ABS and is currently the only stability control system available in production. While RSC provides a great value relationship for most truck operators, some fleets or vehicle types may benefit from the additional yaw stability control integral to the ESC system. To accommodate these needs, the current ABS ECU has been enhanced to allow for the integration of ESC across a variety of vehicle configurations with different engines, transmissions, suspensions and wheelbases.