Actually you just brought to mind a study that found that ABS, Airbags, etc. don't end up saving many lives because what they found was that people that had these safety features ended up driving in a more aggressive matter negating their positive effect.

 

I enjoy winter sports such as cross country skiing. The combination of AWD and electronic stability control is ideal for those who seek outdoor winter activities. The Ford Escape Hybrid could easily satisfy my automobile needs and provide improved fuel economy over rivals such as Subaru Outback or Volvo's XC70 or V50 models. I do not drive aggressively (I am mostly found in the right hand lane of the interstate going the speed limit) but seek state of the art technology to provide additional safety for the unexpected. I am gradually preparing for a new vehicle purchase and will not purchase a vehicle without dynamic electronic stability.

 

I read that too, about ABS. People with ABS tended to drive a lot faster on slick (iced over) roads, falsely believing ABS will always add (magically?) total traction between their tires and the ice covered road.

 

The ABS "effectivity" vote is still out. Up until a few years ago salesman, and seemingly the general public knowledge, was that ABS would help you stop quicker, in a shorter distance.

WRONG...!

The ONLY advantage offered by ABS is to allow you to maintain directional control while simultaneously braking severely/heavily. The closest humankind can come to ABS "like" braking is the judicious, moderate, use of the (rear implemented) e-brake or in the case of RWD or rear biased AWD downshifting and then using the clutch pedal for rear brake "moderation". In both cases the front wheels would continue to roll freely, allowing you to maintain directional control, while not only slowing the car via rear ONLY braking, but "towing an anchor"(think "drag" chains on the rearmost axle of a tractor-trailer rig) at the rear to keep the vehicle aligned with your initial desired direction of travel.

But now the manufacturers have stepped in and are currently making a huge public retraining effort to put this particular ABS "helps you stop", "urban legend" to bed. Check the wording in your MY 2001 and later owners manual if you disagree.

So ABS may yet prove to be advantagous.

But it would undoubtedly be much more of a sure thing if the current ABS design were to be modified such that ABS activation were disabled unless/until the VSC system indicates directional control is threatened, over-steering or under-steering is detected.

 

"..It's not vital if you drive safely..."

What does driving safely, or the FIRM intent thereof, have to do with that patch of black ice in the middle of the road curve? Or that drunken idiot that just crossed the center line and now your avoidance efforts inadvertently result in loss of control? And just how "crisp" is your mind and reaction times in the early evening as the sky darkens and after already driven ~500 miles?

We cannot be fully "on our toes", REALLY, driving continuously absent growing very tired. After 2 hours the drivers at the 24 hours of Daytona are given a 6 hour break, for good reason. Yes, cruising on the highway is not nearly as tiring as Daytona, but how many hours are YOU good for?

At age 66 for distance driving I have willingly limited myself to ~500 miles and early morning and/or daylight hours only.

So think of VSC as a backup, it "has your back".

 

"vital" all depends on how much one is willing to pay for additional safety. Lots of people still don't get the optional airbag systems. I imagine if stability control were an option you'd find many people finding it unnecessary and a some that thought it was "vital" to them. Everyone has an opinion on it....

American manufacturers seem to believe that not at many people aren't willing to chuck out the money for stability control as other manufacturers do and therefore they have been slower to implement the change. Its just economics, and there is some reason to believe the way they do.

However there are several companies out there that have a reputation (deserved or not) for safety that gets them a premium over other vehicles and they lean the other way including safety features early. Mercedes, Volvo.... etc

 

Maybe we should do a vote/poll here, to see how many of us got the side airbag option?

 

I don't disagree, I just wouldn't call the system vital. I would say it's a nice to have.

Even with the system you will be susceptible to all your conditions above including getting into an accident. Hopefully your airbag systems will protect you. I would call that system (airbags) vital.

 

Got them and side curtains too. If the car HAD a stability control option I'd get it as well. Call me paranoid.. but it would be worth the money to me.

But amazingly there are a large number of people don't think its worth the cash for piece of mind.

Ford's decision probably has less to do with lack of technology, or capability and more to do with a business decision to attempt to maximize profit. Of course when you are losing billions.....the wisdom of their current business decisions is pretty questionable.

 

Call you paranoid,OK....I knew the side bags were available and even test drove a few FEH & MMH before buying one without.Don't feel the need,and I've been driving almost thirty years. Piece of opinion!