New Launches
Show Report: CV Show 2012
What a cracking event the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show turned out to be, thanks in no small part to Ford… Read More
Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Long-Term Test 1
We has just taken delivery of a Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Club Cab for long-term appraisal… Read More
Ford Transit ECOnetic Brief Test
We’ve been putting a SWB 100hp 2.2TDi Euro 5 Transit 280 ECOnetic through its paces… Read More
Renault Kangoo ZE 2011 European Launch
Renault is at the forefront of manufacturers offering a mass produced factory-built electric van… Read More
Fuso Canter 2011 European Launch
Fuso has completely revamped its range of light and heavy truck Canter chassis and chassis crew cabs… Read More
Iveco Daily 2011 European Launch
Iveco has introduced new, latest generation diesels to its Daily range, along with detail changes inside and out… Read More
Ford Transit 2011 European Launch
Ford takes the iconic Transit to the next stage with an all-new range of 2.2-litre Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 UK Launch
VW’s large panel van has undergone a serious makeover with changes to the front-end styling and the cab interior, as well as new Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Ford Transit Connect Electric Brief Test
We spent a day with the battery-powered Connect to get a better idea of what it’s like to live with in its natural, urban environment. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL Brief Test
Currently undergoing trials with selected fleet customers in the UK, we managed to get behind the wheel of a battery-powered Vito E-CELL… Read More
ESP standard on all new vans by 2014
All new vans sold in the EU — if it still exists — from 31 October 2014 will have to have Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) as a standard fitment. As of the beginning of this month all new models receiving EU type approval will also have to feature ESP.Making ESP compulsory is part of a comprehensive European Commission strategy to improve road safety. Bosch developed ESP and in 1995 it was the first company worldwide to start series production. By 2010, 41 per cent of all light commercial vehicles and passenger cars weighing less than six tonnes that rolled off the world’s production lines were equipped with the system. “ESP can prevent up to 80 per cent of all skidding accidents. It is the most important vehicle safety system after the seat belt,” says Dr. Werner Struth, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division.
ESP uses intelligent sensors to check 25 times per second whether the driver’s steering input matches the vehicle’s actual direction of travel. If the system detects some discrepancy and identifies that the vehicle is likely to become unstable, ESP intervenes by reducing the engine torque in order to restore stability. If that is not sufficient, then it also applies the brakes to individual wheels. It also incorporates the functions of the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and traction control.
ESP on Vans Explained