Euro VSA saves lives

The latest episode of Fifth Gear (28 March 05) has a great story on VSA.

Recommend it to all - see: http://www.finalgear.com/

Travelling at 70 miles per hour they show the difference between a swerve on a slippery road (in this case ice!) with and without VSA. No matter how good you are at driving - only VSA can brake individual wheels. Mercedes says VSA can reduce the chance of death by 30% - Toyota says 50%.

On the other hand - Victoria Police says slowing down is the answer "wipe of 5" - to reduce road toll. Has it really worked? There are still lots of unsafe shit boxes on Victorian roads. The road toll is also up this year. I think it would be smarter to provide incentives for people to buy cars equipped with VSA. I am not saying it is the only answer - but what has the "wipe off 5" campaign done?

Curious why VSA is not offered on the V6 Accord - but is standard on Euro. People seem to be concerned with ensuring a new vehicle has 2, 4,6 or 8 airbags -but how many people look for VSA? I don't get it. How about avoiding the accident in the first place?

Has anyone really seen the limits of the VSA on the Euro? I have only done a few simple tests - but has anyone REALLY seen it get them out of deep shit? Any stories? I guess to some extent you may not know the difference unless you did the same thing with the VSA off.

I don't have bit torrent... Can I grab it off you at your place?


With VSA on, I tested by going round the roundabout at full throttle and the computer just won't let me slide......

Yoram, I moved this to the news forum so it will be on the front page because i thought it was a good topic. Let me know if you want it moved back to the Accord forum!

No worries wynode - Nick I have a copy on VCD you can have.

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Originally Posted by yfin

No worries wynode - Nick I have a copy on VCD you can have.

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Coolness Bud! Will drop by your place when you are free :) Got more legality and copyright questions to ask you :)

I think VSA is the most useful when the road is wet.
I applied full throttle in 1st gear in the wet once and the VSA light was coming on constantly and I didn't slide or lose control at all.
I usually turn it off when it's dry, but make sure I leave it on in the wet.

It's as effective as BMW's version of the VSA, I drove my friend's 330Ci down the same roundabout and that car just won't let you slip...

Two Thumbs Up To Honda's VSA System....

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Originally Posted by coladuna

I think VSA is the most useful when the road is wet.
I applied full throttle in 1st gear in the wet once and the VSA light was coming on constantly and I didn't slide or lose control at all.
I usually turn it off when it's dry, but make sure I leave it on in the wet.

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hehe - with my tyres I can sometimes get VSA to activate in 3rd gear with full throttle in the wet! First gear is hopeless in the wet - any more than 50% and the traction control cuts power.

What you are describing above is more traction control component of VSA - the proper VSA is more about correcting oversteer or understeer. The light flashes differently too - AFTER a VSA event you get 3 VSA flashes - whereas the traction control event flash is a constant flash immediately until traction is regained.

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Originally Posted by yfin

the proper VSA is more about correcting oversteer or understeer. The light flashes differently too - AFTER a VSA event you get 3 VSA flashes - whereas the traction control event flash is a constant flash immediately until traction is regained.

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So that's what the flashing is about, I'd always thought the 3 quick flashes after the first one is the VSA is calculating or confused LOL!

I get more Flaaaash and Flash Flash Flash during hard turns into roads or at intersections then at roundabouts... That's just about the difference... Didn't know that it's actually correcting my line..... Interesting...

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Originally Posted by EuroAccord13

I get more Flaaaash and Flash Flash Flash during hard turns into roads or at intersections then at roundabouts... That's just about the difference... Didn't know that it's actually correcting my line..... Interesting...

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Yep - same with me - really wet road and a hard turn - my car will aquaplane! (I don't plan to do this - but the Falken tyres are so crap in the wet). It will sometimes even do that at very slow speeds - under 40kph. The VSA then kicks in (not that quickly - about 0.5 secs later) and the car goes straight ahead - when the car is straight I get flash flash flash. I think I need to look at new tyres. It is getting really hard to take off in 1st gear now when it is wet. Just wants to spin spin spin. The tread is ok - just no grip.

How exactly does it correct oversteer/understeer? Does it just cut the power?

How would it react to you enducing oversteer to get around an obstacle?

In other words... by design, does it help you drive or does it just correct your mistakes?

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Originally Posted by Vivski

How exactly does it correct oversteer/understeer? Does it just cut the power?

How would it react to you enducing oversteer to get around an obstacle?

In other words... by design, does it help you drive or does it just correct your mistakes?

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The VSA uses lateral acceleration sensors, wheel-speed sensors, steering position sensors and a dedicated microprocessor to detect individual wheel slip (these sensors are all used to determine the degree of understeer or oversteer). VSA can reduce engine output through the drive-by-wire throttle control or the rapid pulsing application of one or more brakes to regain control.
So to answer your question - it determines the line you "intend" to take and gets you there. Whilst it is ideal for novice drivers who don't know how to handle a car in an emergency - it also will recover a car better than a professional as it can brake individual wheels. Watch the video and you will see - the driver does very little to lose control on ice at 70kph and can't recover without VSA.