Technology that helps to avoid hitting a moose in an Elio
Posted By RichC on August 16, 2014
While we wait for our Elio, it is interesting to watch the social networking buzz and behind the scenes engineering testing that goes into developing a new vehicle … like thinking about “hitting a moose.” 
Let’s face it, hitting a moose is not good for any vehicle (or the moose). So, over the years, car makers in cold-weather climates such as Sweden and Finland developed a test that entailed steering hard to the left, then steering hard back to the right to simulate avoiding a large mass – or moose – on the road. In the US we call the European “Moose Test” the Consumer Reports Avoidance Maneuver (CR Maneuver or CRAM).
Today, the Moose Test is one of the standards for testing Electronic Stability Control (ESC), one of the most important safety innovations in recent automotive history. A 2012 study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that more than 2,200 lives were saved by ESC from 2008 to 2010.
Safety is such an important focus of Elio Motors’ development, that adding ESC to the vehicle was an obvious choice. Therefore, having a world-class ESC supplier is an important part of the company’s long-term success. Fortunately, Elio Motors is working with its supplier partner Mando, a recent “Supplier of the Year” recipient.
Working from its Novi, Mich., North American Research & Development Center, Mando has developed an ESC system designed specifically to work with a three-wheel vehicle and to provide safety functionality in line with today’s safest vehicles.
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