WASHINGTON (April 6) — All new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. will be required to have electronic stability control systems by the 2012 model year, according to a final rule issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NHTSA estimates the new ESC rule will save between 5,300 and 9,600 lives annually and prevent between 168,000 and 238,000 injuries.
The estimated cost per vehicle of ESC will be $111, provided the vehicle already has anti-lock brakes, the agency said. Phase-in of the mandate begins with the 2009 model year.
Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said 10 years down the road people will look back at the ESC technology and wonder how they ever drove a car without it — like airbags and seat belts.