Almost like on rails: the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) ® In the old days, you had to manually correct your steering in a tricky situation. Today there is ESP ®. ESP ® stands for Electronic Stability Program. The name says it all - ESP ® stabilizes the car. Should your car threaten to go into a spin, the system jumps into action almost as if an invisible hand took over to put your car back on track safe and sound. Like the Antilock Braking System (ABS), that also made its world premiere in a Mercedes, ESP ® is a milestone. For many journalists, it "just might be the greatest breakthrough" in any active safety system. ESP ® helps to stabilize a car even in extreme situations. The setting for ESP ®'s first public appearance was a frozen lake in 1995. The experts were impressed at how sure-footed the S-Class was on ice. ESP ®'s secret is an intelligent on-board computer that constantly extends its "feelers" or sensors. Whenever the danger of a spin is detected, it reacts by selectively braking the front and rear wheels and reducing or increasing engine torque. In a split second, much faster than a Formula 1 driver can react, ESP ® keeps your car on course. The Electronic Stability Program provides an extra element of safety in crucial situations and significantly reduces the danger of skidding in turns. Mercedes-Benz was the first automobile manufacturer worldwide in 1995 to equip its passenger cars with ESP ®. Today, it's standard equipment on the Mercedes S 600, CL 600, SL 600, E 430, E 320 4MATIC and in the new high-performance vehicles E 55 AMG and C 43 AMG. Since February 1998, the A-Class is the first car in its category with this innovative safety system.