To me and I guess to the engineers that designed the system, ESP was first and foremost a "stability program". Because of the wonders in electronic and the computing power available in cars these days, ESP as evolved to a point where it can perform many tasks.

Not too long ago what you consider ESP was available in Audis and VWs as only traction control. Yes even on a FWD Passat you had EDL and ASR. Both systems were there to assist you in case you lost traction while accelerating. This is the same as on Audis. Don't forget the first generation ESP system came in late in the life cycle of the B5 S4.

So your argument about ESP only during acceleration is misguided. However your statement about the ESP not being designed or applied to avoid a deer is totally false. It is precisely in that kind of event that ESP come into action. Yes ESP uses ABS but not in its normal way.

First let us look at ABS and how it works.

ABS was designed to avoid you loosing traction or control and keep some sort of steering availability during hard braking. It did and still does this by modulating the brakes as to keep some wheel rotation while decelerating. It did this by looking at all four wheels and applying brakes equally to all four wheels until one started to slip. It then released the pressure on the slipping wheel. Of course you could still turn the wheel and continue the turn without loosing control.

Now with the wonders of ESP they went a step further. They now use <b>differential braking</b> meaning if the ESP through its sensors feels the car is getting to a point where control could be lost it will use the ABS and select which wheel needs the braking to keep the car under control. So it could be that the ESP with its ABS partner decide to only apply braking the front right wheel and the left rear wheel for a given situation. There are many factors and many situations that the engineers designed into the ESP but I'm sure it is impossible for us mere owners to understand how it is all implemented.

 

ok - thx.

 

...and both ABS and EDL stay active, even with ESP off. Manual doesn't say anything about ESP reactivating with braking.

 

Over the ASR. On the other cars turning OFF the ESP turns everything OFF.

The EDL is not really part of the ESP as per say, it's the ABS system using reverse logic to apply braking to a spinning wheel.

 

Hard launch with ESP kicking in at shift from 1-2nd gear. Pushed the ESP button, came to a complete stop..ESP light still on...dropped the throttle VERY hard and got some major wheel spin in 2nd gear...

You guys know a LOT more than I about this system than I do, but I think the ESP stays disabled while the ABS does not.....

Playing on a froxen lake should solve this question...so maybe post this for the NH guys that were doing some ice racing back a month ago...

 

I almost hit a shovel on a highway at speed esp kicked on when i made a sudden dive to another lane. ESP can brake individual wheels to keep the car going in the direction you point the wheel. A pro driver or semi pro may not need a system like this, but its huge for the rest of the 99.9% of the population. With deer you really shouldnt try to avoid hitting them unless your run off space is flat ground. I'd rather hit a deer then a huge ditch or worse yet trees. Something a pro driver still cant do is brake individual wheels, and thats where ESP shines. Its smart enough to keep the car from spinning out, and with roads lets face it the surface can vary greatly in a short space. Wet, snow/ice patch, pavement pebbles on the edge of the road. Its a lot to keep track of in normal driving.

 

Is the EDL. The EDL/ABS will not activate if the wheel spin as the same rotational speed. It needs to see a differential in wheel rotation for it to activate. Don't forget that if you get a good wheel spin and the speed reaches 50 mph the EDL will not activate too.

 

on that note, the manual also says EDL is deactivated if the brakes become overheated.

 

Yes I mentioned that in one of the post. It's built into the algorithm.

 

I would like the systems to be able to be disabled for track or sport use, but I have no problem with them for normal street driving. Losing control and maiming someone because some of the car's safety systems were disarmed in favor of more fun would be unconscionable, IMHO.