In my area, the Prius is only available w/ option packages 1, 4, or 6. I've been trying to find a clear and concise description of what the "Vehicle Stability Control" feature is, and how it works.
All I'm finding are stupid catchphrases that say nothing: "an electronic system designed to help the driver maintain vehicle control under adverse conditions".
I mean, really...
What is the system? how does it work? What kind of "control"? what kinds of "adverse conditions"?
I could be very happy with just the side curtain airbags option, if VSC is mostly just smoke and mirrors marketing-speak.
It keeps you going straight when it detects a skid. how does it work? It uses the ABS braking system
It applies brakes to the appropriate wheel in order to keep the car going straight ahead.
Driving on ice, loose gravel, any slippery surface.
I live on a gravel road. Last February I tested the VSC on a curve with about 5" of snow on a slippery, compacted base. I punched the gas pedal down as I came into the curve at about 5 mph. In my Explorer this would have brought the ass end of the car around but the Prius continued straight down the middle of the road as I continued accelerating. Very impressive.
"The VSC system electronically monitors speed and direction, and compares the vehicle's direction of travel with the driver's steering, acceleration and braking inputs. VSC can help compensate for loss of traction which can cause skids. It utilizes some components shared with the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and an electronically controlled engine throttle as well as a dedicated computer and sensors providing information to the VSC system. These include a yaw rate sensor, a G-sensor and a steering angle sensor. When VSC is active, a warning beep tone and instrument panel warning light indicate that the system is functioning. In many cases, VSC reacts well before the driver is aware of a loss of traction. As with other safety technologies, such as anti-lock brakes, it is important to drive safely, since Vehicle Stability Control cannot defy the laws of physics, nor can it provide more traction than exists in a given condition."
The link embedded in the text (at least on the actual glossary page - dunno how well it followed this post) does a better job of describing how it uses individual wheel braking (and not shown - torque control) to control skids.
All that technospeak simply means that VSC helps the car stop/prevent slipping when driving on icy or slippery surfaces... and it works pretty well in our experience.
There are studies that show 7,000 lives could be saved each year if all vehicles were equipped with VSC, compared to the estimated 13,000 lives saved each year by seat belts. Some (Forbes for example) speculate VSC could eventually be mandatory.
Wish I could give you a link to these studies but I can't. I'm paraphrasing a link-less article on the subject.
. > The third paragraph there could also apply to VSC; reliance on it can > cause inexperienced or just plain careless drivers to drive even more > marginally. I don't think that applies necessarily to anybody here - if > the very worst drivers double their accident rate with ABS or VSC it will > make the technology look bad when it isn't.>
I suppose in CA VSC it would help if a car were hydroplaning or had tread separation. In MN there are still lots of roads with loose gravel, paved roads with gravel shoulders and, of course, ice and snow. Probably the most common cause of rollover here is drifting onto a soft shoulder and then losing control.
thanks everyone for your replies. It looks like a very good feature, but I think I'm gonna pass on it afterall, and just get the Option 1 package of side/curtain airbags instead.
If you could get VSC without the HID lights and foglights and for half that cost, maybe i'd go for it.
I would expect those to be largely winter conditions, though.
The numbers don't tally with my life experiences in the California East Bay Area and the Phoenix area. Two of my brothers and at least five of my co-workers are around because of seat belts, but I haven't had to attend the funeral of anybody who lost control of their vehicle. Most recently two women I work with were injured when one of them drove their car off the freeway onto the steep median and the car overturned. No loss of control, at least to the point VSC couldn't have helped - she was distracted and drunk and just steered off the road. The driver suffered a broken neck (she has recovered from that, thank God) and both passengers suffered concussions. The roof of the car gouged asphalt from the oncoming lanes and peppered their heads with it. Seatbelts clearly saved both of them, and VSC would not have helped; the car went where she steered it.
OTOH, I probably couldn't count the winter accidents I've seen up here in snow country that could possibly have been prevented by VSC... or at least by driving the appropriate speed for the conditions.
I suspect VSC resembles ABS in that there have been high expectations, but ABS has produced higher accident rates in some studies
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. The third paragraph there could also apply to VSC; reliance on it can cause inexperienced or just plain careless drivers to drive even more marginally. I don't think that applies necessarily to anybody here - if the very worst drivers double their accident rate with ABS or VSC it will make the technology look bad when it isn't. Mike
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