Leading car manufacturers confirm that Bosch's Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) increases human safety during collisions

Industry sources state that every year in the UAE, 10,708 road accidents cause 662 deaths and 10,566 injuries. In Saudi Arabia the number of accidents exceeded 300 000 per year with more than 3000 death cases. According to Jacek Siwinski, General Manager, Bosch Automotive Aftermarket, Middle East Office, these statistics indicate that vehicle owners in the Middle East have to realize the importance of advanced vehicle safety devices that can minimise human injury during accidents.

Bosch, one of the world leaders in the automotive industry is about to produce its 10 millionth Electronic Stability Program (ESP). ESP is a key area of Bosch's automotive safety research programme. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is an active vehicle safety technology recommended for all passenger cars.

Research indicates that each GCC country spends approximately 1% of its total GDP to cover the cost caused by road deaths and injuries every year. Other studies have indicated that the casualty and fatality rates in the UAE and other GCC countries are much higher than in the developing and developed countries with comparable vehicle ownership.

"While government authorities are conducting campaigns to educate road users, Bosch is committed to developing technologically advanced solutions that will improve the overall safety of passenger cars", stated Siwinski.

ESP can enhance passive safety restraints like air bags and seat belts. The ESP reacts when a vehicle starts to skid and counteracts the movement, thus significantly increasing driving safety. Using information from a variety of sensors, ESP compares the direction the vehicle is moving in with the direction intended by the driver. If these do not agree, the vehicle is made to either under- or over steer. In a first response, ESP reduces engine power. If this is not effective, the system also applies braking to individual wheels - thereby helping to keep the vehicle moving in the direction chosen by the driver.

Recent studies by leading car manufacturers Toyota and Daimler Chrysler, the makers of Mercedes-Benz cars, confirm that ESP can prevent crashes and help save thousands of lives. Using information based on collected accident data, Daimler Chrysler has claimed that their share of involvement in 'driving accidents' in Germany has decreased by 25% since ESP was fitted as standard in all Mercedes cars. Meanwhile Toyota has claimed that the potential for increased safety is even higher, as the use of ESP could reduce the number of serious driving accidents by half. Driving accidents are defined as those accidents in which drivers lose control of their vehicle without any other external cause.

Swinski stated, "Every second newly registered car in Germany is now fitted with the system; for Western Europe as a whole, the proportion is one in four, while the in the Middle East it is still much lower. Each year a lot of people die on the roads and many thousands people are being injured. The rates could be reduced substantially if more cars were fitted with ESP system.

Over the next few years, Bosch will add a number of additional safety and convenience functions to its ESP system. By 2006, there will be a very diverse range of products based on ESP, incorporating different selections of features at an affordable cost."