At about 0630 in the morning yesterday, it was still dark, damp, and possibly icy. I was travelling behind a Vectra (dual carriageway) approaching a roundabout. What I didn't notice (my fault, dozy git ) was a woman waiting to cross at a pelican crossing. The lights are about 50yards before the roundabout, and I hadn't really registered them in my mind as they had never been red before.

I thought the Vectra was going to go through, though he slammed on his/her brakes at the last second. I had to do an emergency brake - I would have still hit him (just) so I steered into the outside lane. There was no hint at all of the car losing traction or control. It just came to a very quick halt before the pelican crossing.

If I'd been in my old Saab 9000, I would have probably gone sideways into the back of the Vectra!

Very glad I had the ESP on the car - saved me from my cr4p driving, and a probably minor shunt that would have been my fault

I'm assuming it is the ESP that does this - is the ESP / TCS and ABS all part of the same system - ish? Think I've got ASR and EBD too, though no idea what they are. Anyway, glad I have them I'll add it to the list of must haves for my next car....

The ESP with use EBD to trigger the ABS to brake certain wheels to stop you from spinning

That might well just have been the ABS doing its job as it's designed specifically for an emergency lane-change style manouevre. You should have felt the ABS pulsing through the brake pedal at the time (although you may have been preoccupied )

ESP really comes into play when the car is sliding at an angle and that's when you need it to individually brake wheels to get/keep the car going in the direction the front wheels are pointing.

Chris

Yup, I agree with Chris, def ABS doing it's job more than ESP

That's what all the electronics are for - pulling you out of the proverbial, when you're not quite with it !

The ESP would have kicked in if you hadn't touched the brakes and went through say an S bend and the back wanted to step out - Very thing happended to me up North on black ice. I streered through and didn't touch the brakes car did what it was asked. Very clever, and I'd say essential in a Superb. Got an Octy II now so feel a bit more connected with the road.