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Malaysia mandates stability control for all new cars

KUALA LUMPUR — In a bid to reduce road accidents and deaths in Malaysia, the government is making it mandatory for all new cars to have Electronic Stability Control (ESC) starting June 1, 2018.

KUALA LUMPUR — In a bid to reduce road accidents and deaths in Malaysia, the government is making it mandatory for all new cars to have Electronic Stability Control (ESC) starting June 1, 2018.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said studies showed that the anti-skid technology could prevent about 40 per cent of deaths and collisions from crashes due to loss of control.

“As we know, Malaysia is a tropical country, it rains all the time, the roads are quite slippery — police investigations show more than 45 per cent of fatal incidents are caused by instability or (an inability) to control the car,” he said. “So, we need a stable car and ... ESC can further reduce (the) risk of collisions by (offering) significantly better manoeuvring control in critical situations. It is the most cost-effective life-saving device at present.”

Malaysia will be the first country in the region to mandate ESC, he added.

There were a total of 489,606 road accidents and 6,706 deaths in 2015, with the death toll increasing from 6,674 fatalities in 2014.

“Frontal collisions and (a) loss of control are the main causes of accidents and deaths,” Mr Liow said, adding that in 2015, these types of collision contributed to 45.39 per cent of fatal accidents.

ESC helps drivers to maintain control of their vehicles in extreme steering manoeuvres by keeping the vehicle in the direction intended by the driver.

Mr Liow claimed that car manufacturers would absorb the cost of installing the system, adding that there will not be a sudden increase in car prices following the mandate.

He also said that the government was looking into the implementation of the eCall system by January 2019.

Through the system, he said, a distress call would be made to emergency services with all the accident information to bring quick assistance to motorists involved in a collision anywhere in the country.

The eCall, a European initiative, will be made mandatory in all new cars sold within the European Union from April 2018. AGENCIES

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