World champion in water sports, ice skating and slalom The Electronic Stability Program follows the ideal line like an athlete. With ESP ®, a computer continually monitors a car's handling, comparing the data it receives with pre-programmed ideal data. The moment the car deviates from its ideal line, ESP ® takes over to nip a potential spin in the bud. The car is brought back on course in two ways. Firstly, ESP ® precisely regulates the braking action on one or more wheels. ESP ® can individually brake each wheel as if you had four feet to apply four brake pedals. Secondly, it automatically adjusts engine output if necessary. ESP ® thus corrects an incipient spin caused by an abrupt dodging manoeuver for instance, within milliseconds . But ESP ® doesn't just stabilize the vehicle on dry surfaces. It handles icy, wet, gravelly and other adverse road surfaces too; conditions in which even the best of drivers would hardly be able to keep the car on the road. Mercedes-Benz engineers designed ESP ® to be ready when you need it whether you're braking, accelerating or even coasting. A light on the instrument panel advises caution whenever ESP ® intervenes. Remember: even if ESP ® has often been referred to as a technical wonder, it cannot suspend the laws of physics. In other words, ESP ® doesn't give you a license to speed.