More fleets are demanding Electronic Stability Control (ESC) a year after research revealed less than one in five specified the equipment as standard for company cars.

The original survey, which was backed by a Europe-wide ‘Choose ESC’ campaign involving ESC developer, Bosch, as well as RoadSafe, ACFO and eSafety Aware, also discovered only 55% of new cars had the system fitted as standard.

Now, the European Parliament has voted for the compulsory introduction of ESC in all types of vehicles from November 1, 2011, and for all new vehicles from November 1, 2014.

This follows EuroNCAP’s announcement (Fleet News, March 5) that ESC must be standard on 85% of volume sales and at least optionally available on every variant before a new car could gain the maximum five-star crash safety rating.

The change in policy at EuroNCAP to include ESC in its rating will help boost sales of the stability safety system in company cars, as many fleets now demand that all their new cars must have a five-star EuroNCAP rating.

In addition, a number of other fleets demand that ESC must be fitted to new cars as part of their vehicle specification policy – and this number is growing.

“I am aware that an increasing number of fleets are stipulating that ESC should be fitted as standard,” said ACFO chairman Julie Jenner.

“For example, two ACFO members - Kaba Door Systems and Napp Pharmaceuticals – have that mandate in their policies and anecdotal evidence from regional meetings indicates that others are now following suit.”

Research from the Department for Transport suggests ESC-equipped vehicles are 25% less likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those with the technology.

Jill Grimes, fleet co-ordinator at Napp Pharmaceuticals, added: “What price can you put on a life? If just one life is saved as a result of the company making ESC on all new vehicles compulsory then the right decision has been made.”