Twelve major Chinese car manufacturers have made commitments to fit all new models produced in China with the anti-skid technology Electronic Stability Control (ESC) beginning in January 2018. ESC, a technology that can help prevent loss of control in crashes, is widely considered to be the most important car safety development since the seat belt and is credited with saving thousands of lives, according to Stop the Crash Partnership, a group of international auto organizations that announced the news last week.
Twelve major car brands made commitments to produce all new models with Electronic Stability Control.
“Electronic Stability Control is a vitally important life saving technology and the Stop the Crash Partnership warmly welcomes this significant step from Chinese automakers,” David Ward, chairman of Stop the Crash said in a statement. Mr. Ward, who is also secretary general of the Global New Car Assessment Program (Global NCAP), a nonprofit based in London, said he hopes the measure will help raise road safety awareness with consumers across China.
ESC has been mandatory in both the EU and US since 2012.
Stop the Crash Partnership, which promotes advanced crash avoidance technologies and encourages governments to adopt the United Nation’s global standards in new vehicles, is led by Global NCAP, an umbrella organization for programs around the world that test vehicles based on standards set by the UN and offer consumers safety information for models sold in their markets.
The twelve Chinese automakers, which include Besturn, Changan, Dongfeng Fengshen, Geely, Haval, Hongqi, Lynk & Co, MG, Trumpchi, Roewe, Senova, and Wey, represent 85% of the Chinese manufacturer market, Stop the Crash said.
“This is a bold step by Chinese manufactures, who have shown a real commitment to road safety by fitting this technology as standard ahead of regulatory requirements,” Yu Kai, party secretary of China Automotive Technology and Research Center, said in a statement.
