Electronic Stability Control (ESC), offered under various trade names, is designed to assist drivers in maintaining control of their vehicles during extreme steering maneuvers. It is designed to reduce the occurrence of crashes in which vehicles run off the road or otherwise go out of control.

ESC senses when a vehicle is starting to spin out (oversteer) or plow out (understeer). When this occurs, it turns the vehicle to the appropriate heading by automatically applying the brake to one or more of the wheels. However, ESC cannot keep a vehicle on the road if the vehicle’s speed is simply too great for conditions.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and www.safercar.gov