UK Car Sales ESP Growth

In the first half of 2009 the share of newly registered passenger cars in the UK featuring the ESP active safety system increased by 3% to 59%, compared with the full year in 2008.

The increase was largely driven by the small car sector where 23% of new cars had ESP on board as standard or optional equipment. Only 11 percent of sales in the mini compact class featured ESP - a fall of 2%.

In Germany, the share of newly registered passenger cars featuring the ESP safety system has fallen for the first time.

Recently published data indicates that the share fell to 78% in the first six months of 2009, three percentage points down from the figure for 2008.

The main reason for this is the substantial rise in sales of small vehicles featuring few extras.

In the mini compact class, where sales grew fastest, the share of vehicles equipped with ESP fell from 33 to 19%.

However, Bosch is optimistic that this will improve in the next few months.

An EU regulation passed in 2009, which will take effect from November 2011, stipulates that all new passenger-car and commercial-vehicle models must be equipped with this active safety system.

And this will apply to all new vehicles from November 2014.

In addition the new EuroNCAP star rating, introduced in February 2009 now includes ESP. In 2010, Bosch will start series production of generation nine brake control systems.

Bosch engineers have been able to reduce the weight and size by up to 30% as compared to the previous version.

A further reduction in cost supports the efforts of the automotive industry and authorities to make active safety systems standard equipment worldwide.

Commenting on the ESP figures for the UK, Edmund King, AA President said: "Particularly in winter it is essential to avoid crashes by skidding, and ESP® vehicle active safety technology is a proven life saver in these conditions.

"We urge new car buyers to choose cars fitted with electronic stability control either as standard or as an option before other extras such as alloy wheels or iPod connections are considered."

(PR/GK)