Car showrooms across the UK are failing to tell their customers about the importance of anti-skid technology Electronic Stability Control (ESC) despite its key role in cutting road deaths, according to a new survey to be released today (10) by the FIA Foundation.
With ESC often only available as an optional extra in many cars, dealerships are relied upon to ensure that motorists are offered a model with the technology installed.
However, despite performing better than some European countries, UK showrooms are rated as “very poor” in promoting ESC and lag behind their counterparts in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, the Foundation’s report shows.
ESC has been recognised as the most critical car safety device since the seatbelt. In its own research, the Department of Transport has already shown that vehicles equipped with ESC are 25% less likely to be involved in a fatal accident. An inexpensive technology, ESC should only cost around £60.
The in-depth mystery shopper survey finds that showroom sales staff rarely recommended ESC as a safety system and failed to promote the technology. The survey also shows that:
- Only 36% of all sales staff knew that ESC works in all weather conditions;
- One in five sales people failed to tell customers that ESC reduces the danger of skidding;
- Only 18% of sales staff gave information on ESC without being asked;
- Peugeot (scoring 36.0), Fiat (35.4) and Citroën (28.0) were the worst rated dealerships in terms of promoting ESC. They fell behind VW (71.0), Toyota (66.2) and Honda (64.7);
- In terms of overall safety features only one in seven salespersons focused on safety as an important feature with the ‘look’ and price of cars mentioned more often.
FIA Foundation Director General David Ward said: “It’s bad enough that many cars still don’t have this life saving technology fitted as standard. What makes matters worse is that dealerships are doing a very poor job at explaining the benefits of ESC and even when cars are sold with the system, people are being charged excessively. It’s sheer negligence to let people leave a car showroom having failed to give them the full facts.”
The survey follows a new EU commitment at the end of May to make the anti-skid technology mandatory by 2012. In the mean time, the Foundation’s Choose ESC! campaign calls on governments and the car industry itself to promote the technology.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The survey covered a total of 50 dealerships in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh. Similar surveys were conducted across nine other European countries. The UK achieved better results than countries including Spain, Italy and Austria. It received an ‘acceptable’ overall verdict but was disappointing particularly in sales promotion, ‘recommendation’ and general knowledge.
- The 10 manufacturers and their dealerships surveyed included Peugeot, Fiat, Citroën, VW, Toyota, Honda, Ford, Mazda, Vauxhall, Renault. The survey was conducted by the Institute for Applied Marketing and Communication Research (IMK).
- The full report ‘Pan-European Shopper Study Focusing on Quality of ESC Sales Information’ will be available at www.fiafoundation.org on 10 June 2008.
Full report: www.fiafoundation.com/Documents/ESC/final_report_esc_in_car_sales_en.doc
- ESC helps motorists avoid road accidents by minimising skidding. ESC kicks in when the driver loses control of the vehicle. It recognises the risk of skidding early and keeps the vehicle on track by selectively applying the brakes to the wheels. Skidding causes at least 40% of all fatal road accidents. EU studies have shown that ESC can prevent up to 80% of all accidents caused by skidding
- The FIA Foundation is an independent UK registered charity. It is a leader in road safety, environmental protection and sustainable mobility campaigning and research.
- The Choose ESC campaign, which is chaired by the FIA Foundation, has been calling for mandatory installation of ESC as part of the 'eSafetyAware!' public private partnership which promotes intelligent vehicle safety systems.
Visit www.chooseesc.eu
Contact: Avi Silverman FIA Foundation 0044 7967 229374