Honda's VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) Advertorial, Thanks to Nuffnang...
I was engaged by Honda to do a research on this VSA techonology.
VSA are more sophisticated type of traction control. Besides restoring or enhancing grip on slippery roads, they also stabilise the car when it is about to skid in a corner. In simplified term, VSA = ABS + TCS + Understeer/oversteer prevention.
Any one of these, or more, can work together/in succession when VSA activates.
My personal encounter with VSA:
(I am a owner of a 2008 Civic FD2 (2.0iVTEC) equipped with VSA)
A month ago when I was driving in a heavy rain (more like raining cats and dogs type of rain), I took a corner at 90km/h, when my car's front wheel passed through the uneven road surface with water on it in Petaling Jaya. More specifically “Tropicana Indah” area (nice corners leading to Casa Indah (on left) and Seri Selangor Public Golf Course on the right), I felt that the tyres (stock Michelin PP 1) were losing grip.
At the same time I saw the triangle blinking. Immediately after 1 or 2sec I think, I can feel the tyre start gripping again (VSA activated). On the next corner, almost the same thing happen & the VSA again in action. All of these happen within few seconds.
One thing I can sure is VSA really helps during emergency. I'm a person that loved to take fast corners, but these happened unexpectedly. Hence, it’s dangerous to deactivate it.
You'll appreciate how VSC works if you have driven an older car without electronic driving aids. Entering the same rain soaked corner a typical FWD car will understeer, causing you to lift off... Lift too fast and your car will oversteer which is much more difficult to recover (you need to quickly countersteer).
Now under NO circumstances should you try this entering the corner faster than you would normally do... Also, don’t expect to corner at ridiculous speed in wet (eg.150km/h). In such situations VSA may not be able to save you...
In a nutshell VSA is a features that will save additional lives giving the driver still control over the vehicle despite driving errors. This is more so especially in the wet. They can make the difference between ending up in the drain or against a tree, and just having a big scare but still continuing the drive. As a result, this is one of the best technological innovations in Motoring History.
For more information, please visit the following site:
http://www.honda.com.my/advancedtechnology
Here's another link to my blog advertiser:
http://www.honda.com.my/advancedtechnology/index.html?utm_campaign=hat&utm_medium=sponsored_post&utm_source=otoreview.blogspot.com/SOURCES:
[1] http://world.honda.com/news/1997/t970702d.html
- Press release 1997, Technology, July 2, 1997.
[2] http://www.motortrader.com.my/asp/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=28041
- for definitions
