Stort grattis älgtest! Happy elk test anniversary! Here’s to the invention of ESP®, saving lives and making traffic safer for everyone with traction, stability and control.
The Art of Safety: Here’s to Over 25 Years of ESP® By Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is celebrating 25 years of safety with a moose and a Mercedes EQS Sedan. It’s an odd pairing, but it makes sense if you know a little about crash safety tests, as the video below illustrates. The brand is marking 25 years of ESP (electronic stability program) and this week has dedicated its social media accounts to the topic of vehicle safety.
Now, the moose test is a bit of a colloquialism, with the term used as a byword for the evasive maneuver test that has been standard in both Europe and the States for some time. A fully-loaded car heads down a dry surface toward cones set in an S-shape without crashing. In order for a car to pass, it must navigate the obstacle (moose) at 45 mph. But its history paints Mercedes in a somewhat negative light.
At least, it did initially. Back in 1997, a Mercedes A-Class was overturned during the moose test. This was also the test that coined the term, with the Swedish driver referring to the theoretical obstacle as a moose. Regardless, a Trabant, an oft-mocked car at the time, passed with flying colors.
Things have obviously changed quite a bit since then. Mercedes, understandably frustrated at the results of the test, worked quickly to introduce the Electronic Stability Program into the A-Class. Eventually, it went on to be included as standard in every Mercedes vehicle. Unless you count Lewis’ F1 car.
The brand’s recent safety push is part of a larger strategy, with Mercedes-Benz Vision Zero aiming for no traffic deaths by 2050. Merc’s social media campaign, which ends December 1, is a small part of that. In addition to celebrating 25 years of ESP, Mercedes is celebrating 20 years of Pre-Safe, the brand’s active and passive safety elements.
Pre-Safe uses a series of sensors to anticipate a collision, supposing ESP has failed you in some regard. Should a moose, for example, come calling, seatbelts will tighten, windows will close, and headrests will adjust to brace for an upcoming impact.
More than 50 posts will be shared under “#allforsafety” on Merc’s LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.
