Bosch has extended its electronic stability programme (ESP) product family to include the very powerful ESPpremium version. The system can develop braking pressure even more quickly, yet operates more quietly and almost without any vibration. It has been designed for deluxe cars and above.

Two automakers will be installing the system before the end of the year. ESPpremium complements the existing ESP and ESPplus versions from Bosch, and, like them, is based on the eighth generation brake control system. The three systems together cover the varying demands made of the brake control systems when applied in small cars, luxury cars, or in light commercial vehicles.

A feature of ESPpremium is the new pump design, which has six pistons instead of the two used previously. This has allowed a reduction in pressure pulsation – in other words, the variation between the lowest and highest values of the braking pressure developed – of 90 percent in comparison with earlier ESP units.

In turn, this permits brake control that is extremely fast. It is possible for the braking pressure to be regulated over a significantly wider range, and to be precisely adapted to any driving situation. When it works in tandem with the adaptive cruise control (ACC) distance controller, ESPpremium can implement a very comfortable stop-and-go function that automatically brings the vehicle to a gentle halt in high-density traffic.