For those who have complained that VSA in the TSX might be a bad thing ... check out the videos here, including the winter driving one.

http://www.esceducation.org/media_center/index.shtml

The site is not about any particular brand of ESC, but just the technology in general.

 

VSA good stuff!!

 

I love smashing the gas on snow just to see that VSA light go nuts on the dash. It is a killjoy though for those times you WANT to have some fun on the snow. Thank god you can shut it off.

 

found that site the other day looking for some quick vids on under/oversteering. cool to see the difference.

 

I wonder if there's a connection--that is, a positive correlation--between those who object to VSA or electronic stability control and those who object to wearing seat belts?

Are these the same people who have the immortal illusions that they are always "under control"?

 

wait so VSA is an ESC system?

 

I was trying this out yesterday... understeering around a slippery corner (not too fast, so there really wasn't any danger). It really works well, but it doesn't feel as sophisticated as I was hoping. I felt it start to slide, and then a second or two later it kicks in and you can really feel and hear the sudden pulsing from the inside rear tire. For some reason I was expecting that the system would be sensitive and fast enough to react faster, before I even knew what was happening, and do it subtly enough so it just felt like I had amazing handling (as Brad put it, an "illusion" that I was under control).

Maybe I was just going too slow.

 

That's interesting. I've kicked it in a few times messing around in a parking lot, and though I could tell what it was doing by the feel of the car I didn't find it overly intrusive. It did kick in once for me when my car was going to oversteer (not dangerously) at a snowy intersection and put me right on course.

 

ESC + TC = VSA

OK?

 

Proo, one of the things that is great about the ESC on the TSX is that it doesnt kick in right away. It lets you have a little fun. So 99% of the time you are in control, unless things get really hairy. I think that because it comes in later it needs to do more to bring the vehicle back under control. Yhey could have made it come in very soon and be more subtle, but IMO this would not be better.

 

I rode in a car for a first hand demo of ESC on a 330i, when I went with my father to pick up his M3. The driver took the car out on the skid pad with a full lock on the wheel to one side in second and just floored it. With ESC on, the car tracked just like it should, the back end never came out. As soon as he hit that ESC button though, powerslide city. It was pretty cool, actually, especially as the guy driving was clearly good at driving to the limits. He kept us going straight sideways for a good bit.

 

Great link ... how bout that winter driving vid Go VSA

 

I've done the exact same thing in the TSX Try it, it works.