NEW YORK: Electronic stability control must be included in all new vehicles sold in the United States by 2012, the US government said on Thursday. The new crash prevention technology keeps drivers from losing control on slippery roads or in emergency situations with the aid of automatic computer-controlled braking. It has been shown to prevent deadly rollovers. Standardised electronic stability control (ESC) is expected to save between 5,300 and 9,600 lives annually and prevent between 168,000 and 238,000 injuries on US roadways, the department of transportation said.

The estimated average cost of electronic stability control is approximately 111 dollars per vehicle, assuming the model already features antilock brakes.—AFP