This active safety system uses wheel speed sensors, steering angle sensors, and a yaw rate sensor to detect when a vehicle is deviating from the driver's intended path. If the computer senses an impending spin or plow, it automatically applies individual wheel brakes and cuts engine power to correct the trajectory. It is a mandatory safety feature on newer vehicles and fundamentally relies on the anti-lock braking hardware.
Heard on the job
The customer complained about a sudden grinding noise in tight corners, but it was just the electronic stability control kicking in on the wet leaves.
Insider tip
Automakers often market this under proprietary names like StabiliTrak, AdvanceTrac, or Vehicle Dynamic Control, but they all describe the same core ESC technology.
Also heard as
- ESC
- ESP
Do not mix it up with
- ABS: ABS prevents wheels from locking up when the driver hits the brakes, while electronic stability control intervenes automatically during steering maneuvers to prevent the car from spinning out.