Deathtrap vehicles banned in Australia, promoted in New Zealand

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New vehicles that lack Electronic Stability Control – which is widely considered a vital safety feature – are still being freely sold in New Zealand, despite being banned in Australia.

Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of the car review website dogandlemon.com, says:

“As from November 1, 2013, cars without Electronic Stability Control were banned from Australia. However, they can still be freely sold in New Zealand. This is madness. There’s one thing that all safety campaigners agree on: Electronic Stability Control is one of the most important safety features on a modern car."

Electronic Stability Control detects when a vehicle is skidding and selectively brakes the individual wheels to bring the vehicle back under control.

Studies by the respected American Institute for Highway Safety showed that: “Electronic Stability Control lowers the risk of a fatal single-vehicle crash by about half and the risk of a fatal rollover by up to 80 percent.”

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/brochures/shopping-for-a-safer-car-2013

The New Zealand government promotes Electronic Stability Control in some of its road safety publicity, but allows new cars to be sold without it.

Matthew-Wilson says this policy is hypocrisy:

“The government often blames bad driving for the road toll. However, the fact remains that vehicles with stability control have a far higher chance of avoiding fatal accidents than those without it, regardless of how they are driven.”

“Many of these vehicles without Electronic Stability Control are proven killers. It’s scandalous that, in 2013, deathtrap vehicles are being freely sold new in this country, despite being withdrawn overseas."

Australia's law change currently covers only cars, but will shortly include commercial vehicles. As a result, vehicles like the Mitsubishi L300 have already been withdrawn, largely due to safety concerns. However, the same vehicle is being actively promoted in New Zealand, with no mention of this vehicle's appalling safety.

"Quite simply, innocent people are sure to die unnecessarily as a result of this madness. The government has blood on its hands.”

New vehicles sold without Electronic Stability Control:

• • Chery J1, J3 and J11,
• • Great Wall V200, V240 and X240
• • Land Rover Defender
• • Mitsubishi L300
• • Mitsubishi Triton  (some versions)
• • Nissan Navara (some versions)
• • Ssangyong Actyon (some versions)
• • Ssangyong Korando (some versions)
• • Ssangyong Rexton (some versions)
• • Suzuki Jimny
• • Toyota Hilux (some versions)

Release ends. (see also additional information below)

What manufacturers call Electronic Stability Control
Not all ESC systems are identical. The hardware is similar, but there are variations in the way systems activate when a driver begins to lose control.
In an ideal world, all the manufacturers would describe Electronic Stability Control as Electronic Stability Control. 
However, many manufacturers give it a different name in order to distinguish their brand from others. 
Below is a list of manufacturers that use Electronic Stability Control, and what they call it.

Maker                         How they describe Electronic Stability Control
Aston Martin              Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Audi                          Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
BMW                          Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Chrysler              Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Citroën                          Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Ford                          Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) / Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Great Wall              Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Holden                           Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Honda                           Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Hummer              StabiliTrak
Hyundai              Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Jaguar                           Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Kia                           Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Land Rover              Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Lexus                           Vehicle Skid Control (VSC)
Mazda                          Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Mercedes-Benz             Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Mini                           Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Mitsubishi              Active Skid and Traction Control
Nissan                          Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
Peugeot              Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Porsche               Porsche Stability Management (PSM)
Proton                          Vehicle stability control (VSC)
Renault                          Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Rolls-Royce               Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Saab                           Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Subaru                          Vehicle Dynamics Control System (VDCS)
Toyota                          Vehicle Skid Control (VSC)
Volkswagen              Electronic Stabilisation Program (ESP)
Volvo                           Dynamic Stability & Traction Control (DSTC)

ENDS

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