Recent criticism leveled at the 2010 Lexus GX 460 has to do with the electronic steering correction control commonly referred to as Electronic Steering Control (ESC). Designed to help maintain control of a high riding SUV, this Consumer Reports test showed it didn’t activate until it was too late.

Since Consumer Reports gave the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV a Don’t Buy: Safety Risk designation because of a problem we experienced during one of our standard emergency-handling tests, we have seen many comments on our blog, as well as on others. To address the most common questions raised, our automotive engineers have put together the following answers, further explaining the test where the GX 460 slid out almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control of the vehicle.

Rollover issues are nothing new to SUV’s, Critics have pointed to this glaring safety issue with these vehicles for years. The ESC is designed to help compensate for the high center of gravity design. Wikipedia discusses the issue further below.

A high center of gravity makes a vehicle more prone to rollover accidents than lower vehicles, especially if the vehicle leaves the road or in emergency maneuvers. Figures from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that most passenger cars have about a 10% chance of rollover while SUVs have between 14% and 23% (varying from a low of 14% for the AWD Ford Edge to a high of 23% for the FWD Ford Escape). Many modern SUVs are equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) to prevent rollovers on flat surfaces, but 95% of rollovers are “tripped” – meaning the vehicle strikes something low, such as a curb or shallow ditch, causing it to tip over.[6]

According to NHTSA data, SUV’s and pickups are at a disadvantage in single-vehicle accidents (such as when the driver falls asleep, or loses control swerving around a deer), which comprise 43% of fatal accidents, with more than double the chance of rolling over. This risk relates closely to overall US motor vehicle fatality data, showing that SUVs and pickups generally have a higher fatality rate than cars of the same manufacturer.[7]

Consumer Reports Blog answers two common questions about the testing that was performed on the 2010 Lexus GX 460.

What does this test illustrate?
This particular aspect of the test simulates the reaction of a vehicle if a driver enters a sweeping turn, such as an off-ramp, and lifts off the throttle to negotiate the corner. We look for a vehicle to have benign handling characteristics in this test, remaining predictable and controllable through the turn.

Shouldn’t drivers be responsible for driving, rather than depend on vehicle electronics to protect them?
Even if the driver obeys the posted limits, that they may need to quickly slow down in a corner due to an obstacle in the road or a traffic backup. Our tests have shown that even vehicles without the protection of vehicle electronics like stability control don’t exhibit the oversteer behavior that the GX did. Finally, many drivers lack the training to counter unexpected oversteer, and properly-calibrated stability control can still do that faster and more effectively than even a trained driver.

If you suspect you have been injured in a car accident related to the Toyota manufacturing recall, please contact our office with your Georgia personal injury law questions. We are your Georgia car accident lawyers.