Mercedes Multi Media Interface Plus Bluetooth Adapter on 2040-parts.com

ESP could save 380 lives a year

By Ben Shacham Motor Industry 19 June 2007 12:24 The campaign to make electronic stability control (ESC) standard on all new cars by 2012 is gathering momentum - and it could save 380 lives a year, say ministers. The UK's Department for Transport today claimed that hundreds of lives could be saved every year if all new cars had stability control fitted - totalling 4000 lives across Europe. A campaign to raise awareness of the potential benefits of ESC was launched last month in Rome by European commissioners and FIA president Max Mosley.

U.S. Transportation Department opens probe of 2010 Toyota Prius brakes

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that it is opening a formal investigation of the 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid to determine whether the vehicle suffers momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over bumpy surfaces. NHTSA, an agency that is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, has received 124 consumer complaints, including four reports of crashes.

Mercedes SL (2012): aluminium saves 8% weight

Mercedes' new 2012 SL will weigh a solid 140kg less than today's SL roadster - a significant saving of some 8%. This crash diet has been enabled by the adoption of aluminium for the new SL. The learnings from the SLS gullwing are now trickling down to the higher-volume SL, which will be revealed in December 2011.