Robert Rogers
ESP? Oversteer? Understeer? Granted, many terms from the automotive world only need mechanics to know. But there is also an area between driving school-relevant knowledge and this “technical jargon,” in which even standard drivers should be theoretically familiar. The following article explains some essential words.
What Is ESP / ESC?
Using several sensors, the ESP measures hundreds of times per second whether the car’s driving condition corresponds to the values specified by the steering angle – and can thus register at lightning speed whether the car is oversteering or understeering.
If it does, the ESP intervenes by individual braking wheels in a targeted manner to regain traction. This makes driving in the limit area safer overall – however, an ESP should not tempt you to race headlong into bends – the laws of physics cannot override the electronics either.
What Is Meant By Oversteer And Understeer?
Practically every film chase involves drifting around a corner with screeching tires and the rear end breaking away – the perfect example of oversteer.
When oversteering, the car’s front turns further towards the inside of the curve than intended by the driver – the vehicle “steers too far.”
When understeering, on the other hand, the vehicle goes less far into the curve than the steering angle dictates.
The reason for both driving conditions is always that tires lose traction when oversteering on the rear axle and when understeering on the front axle. In addition, both states are typical for the respective drive type – a front-wheel-drive vehicle (the vast majority of all modern cars) tends to understeer. Rear-wheel-drive and most all-wheel-drive cars are more likely to understeer if you drive them too quickly into a curve. Search for how to choose a car plate number (วิธี เลือก ทะเบียน รถ มงคล which is the term in Thai)
