Rollover Ratings Slight ESC

When the National Highway Traffic Safety Admin. releases the first batch of vehicle ratings based on its new rollover test, they may not reflect optimum vehicle performance.

NHTSA administrator Jeffrey Runge says take rates determine whether the agency tests a vehicle with electronic stability control. If ESC is an unpopular option, the vehicle will be tested based on its performance without stability control.

This likely will frustrate suppliers that believe the technology gets short shrift, particularly at dealerships. Its penetration rate in North America remains below 10%.

There are 298 nameplates in the market — 74 offer stability control as standard equipment, 54 make it optional. The remaining 170 — 57.1% — do not feature stability control.

This could create a Catch-22: Vehicle rollover ratings are less likely to improve if stability control take rates remain low; but take rates may not climb if consumers are unaware of the technology.

“In most cases, (stability control) is part of some sort of a safety package that comes along with other items,” laments Bill Kozyra, president and CEO of Continental Teves, a leading supplier of ESC.

Runge says NHTSA's first test group likely will include 15 to 20 vehicles, with results due around January.