World Forum Adopts Electronic Stability Control Recommendation
A recommendation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to adopt electronic stability control as a global technical regulation won approval June 26 at the United Nations' World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations' 145th session in Geneva, Switzerland. NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason was quick to praise the adoption, which will affect new light passenger vehicles made from 2014 on.
"Electronic stability control systems are second only to seat belts in terms of the potential for saving lives and reducing injuries," Nason said in a statement posted on NHTSA's Web site. "This is as true for the expanding global automotive market place as it is for the United States. Today's decision by a United Nations auto safety forum to approve the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recommendation to adopt electronic stability control systems as a worldwide regulation for all new light passenger vehicles is a major step forward for global auto safety."
The forum began Tuesday and ends today. Proposals from many countries have been considered there on topics ranging from motorcyclists' helmets and auto fog lights to advanced emergency braking and detection technologies for heavy trucks.