ESC mandatory

[Classic Revival]

This is indeed a serious matter for all of us as it is a change to the Federal regulations & will impact on all vehicles in all states.
This has been instigated by the Federal Minister of Transport & he has stated that there will be absolutly NO EXCEPTIONS granted to low volume vehicles!
By way of illustration of the problem the ADR requires that the ESC be a computer controlled system that Is capable of applying braking torques individually to all four wheels and is operational over the full speed range of the vehicle, during all phases of driving including acceleration, coasting, and deceleration (including braking). This means ABS and traction control are also required.

The requirement is included in a new braking ADR (31/02) and no exemption is provided for low volume vehicles.

Individually constructed vehicles are currently allowed to be assessed for compliance using alternative procedures and exempted from the occupant protection ADR's (Crash testing) because the Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has a scheme that allows low volume production cars to be complied in this way. That is, the state authorities that register ICV's allow the same freedoms allowed low volume cars by relying on the federal system. (This is set out in the Administrator of Vehicle Standards Admin circular 0-2-13, see RVCS website http://rvcs.dotars.gov.au/). This could be readily extended to allow an exemption from the requirement to have ESC fitted for these vehicles.

Somewhat perversely the ADR requires ESC to be fitted and for it to perform in a certain way when tested, it however permits a driver disable function. So it has to be there but the driver can turn it off!

I believe a concerted lobbying effort of the Federal Minister Anthony Albanese is required to request an exemption from the requirement to fit ESC for low volume vehicles.This will then flow through to ICV's.


Anthony Albanese,
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
PO Box 6022
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

It is only with concerted lobbying by a large group of people that will change this.

Ian