ChooseESC! MEPs want 100% availability of ESC by 2012

On 8 April 2008, the own-initiative report of Zita Gurmai MEP on the safer, cleaner, efficient and intelligent car was adopted in the Transport Committee of the European Parliament with 38 votes in favour, one against and no abstentions.

In this report, the Committee stated that the take-up of intelligent car technologies remains very low, given their potential. These technologies need to get cheaper, but also to be better publicised, it stresses, noting that if fully deployed, with the necessary infrastructure, EU-wide emergency call technology could save up to 2,500 lives a year on EU roads, and Electronic Stability Control up to 4,000.

Rapporteur Zita Gurmai notes that Intelligent Vehicle Systems could substantially reduce the annual death toll on European roads (currently 41,600) as well as alleviating or remedying congestion, environmental and public health problems.

New systems too expensive for the consumer

So far, penetration rates for intelligent car systems and applications remain very low in relation to their potential, says the committee. Many consumers cannot afford the new systems, so they need to get cheaper as soon as possible. Members also called for better public information about intelligent cars. Car dealers should play a key role in here, as well as TV and the internet. MEPs called on the Commission to focus its efforts on countries where the availability of intelligent systems is still very low.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

The committee advocated accelerating the introduction of Electronic Stability Control (ESC), which reduces the danger of skidding. It is believed that 4,000 lives could be saved annually, and 100,000 injuries avoided if all cars had ESC. The Committee fully supported the goal of achieving 100% availability of ESC for the model year 2012.