New Zealand Mandates ESC for Light Vehicles

New Zealand will require electronic stability control for new, used and imported cars, saying the technology is expected to prevent 432 deaths and 1,992 serious injuries over the next two decades.

Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse signs a new Land Transport Rule to phase in mandatory ESC, saying many road-safety experts describe it as the most significant advance in vehicle safety since the seatbelt.

Under the new rule all new light passenger and commercial vehicles certified for entry into service will have to have ESC starting July 1, 2015. Used vehicles have varying deadlines not starting until 2016, while used imports will not be required to have ESC until 2020.

New Zealand joins the U.S., Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia and the European Union in mandating ESC for new passenger vehicles.

The Motor Industry Assn., which represents the new-vehicle industry, has supported the mandatory adoption of ESC for several years.

“The government has taken a welcomed step forward with its announcement,” MIA CEO David Crawford says. “Australian research found that the fitment of ESC to vehicles in the Australian and New Zealand fleet was associated with a statistically significant 32% reduction in the risk of single-vehicle crashes in which the driver was injured.

“Various American and European studies have shown similar outcomes. Today marks an important step forward in improving the overall safety of our fleet.”

However, he says there are concerns the supply of some new light-commercial makes and models will be restricted for a period after July 1, 2015, which will result in more used vehicles without ESC being sold.

“What really disappoints is the government’s lackadaisical approach on requiring ESC on importation of used vehicles,” Crawford says.

“The extended timeline afforded to used imports makes a mockery of tough requirements for new vehicles. Japan has been producing passenger cars with ESC in volume since 2011, so why the government is waiting until 2020 to require the volume of used imports (passenger vehicles with engines less than 2.0L capacity) to have ESC is a complete mystery.

“It is a step backwards in not taking the opportunity to quickly advance lifesaving technology to the total New Zealand fleet which is and will, as a result of this decision, continue to be dominated by older used imports lacking the advanced safety technologies of new vehicles entering the fleet.”