While the latter takes the longitudinal forces occurring in straight-ahead running into account, DSC additionally registers and analyses lateral dynamic forces to ensure directional stability.

This means that also - and particularly - in cornering at high speeds, unstable vehicle states such as oversteering or understeering are effectively countered and vehicle stability and road safety are enhanced.

Not only when starting, driving in a straight path or braking does the vehicle remain entirely stable - this feature particularly provides maximum stability when taking bends.

• The steering wheel movement, vehicle speed, transverse acceleration and yaw are used by DSC to register imminent instability when taking a bend at speed.
• DSC then intervenes via the engine management system, reducing drive torque, activating wheel brakes when necessary and thus keeping the vehicle stable.
• All this happens within milliseconds - more quickly and precisely than a driver could ever react.

Your benefits :

• With DSC there is a significant reduction in the risk of skidding during sudden swerve manoeuvres or on slippery bends, on cobblestones or similar road situations.
• In combination with the basic functions of ABS and ASC+T, there is optimum use of road surface friction (wheel grip).

Function in detail :

Whilst ABS and ASC+T take account of longitudinal forces when the vehicle is travelling in a straight path, DSC also monitors and regulates the lateral forces.

The DSC computer constantly calculates an ideal driving condition that is compared with the current status. If the vehicle oversteers or understeers, the calculated ideal deviates from the measured status. DSC then intervenes within a few milliseconds via the engine management system by influencing the engine torque and activating brakes on individual wheels where necessary.

The system thus counteracts unstable vehicle behaviour in normal driving situations, e.g. when accelerating, braking, rolling or under sudden load changes (when changing gear, swerving or suddenly releasing the throttle).

These reactions translate into so-called "oversteer" (rear of car brakes into a slide towards the outside of the curve) and "understeer" (front of car pushes towards the outside of the curve).

In the case of oversteer, DSC would brake the "outer" rear (and, if needed, also the "outer" front) wheel in order to correct the vehicle's stance by generating a counter-momentum to neutralise the oversteer. In the new 3 Series, the braking effect is applied at both "outer" wheels.

Similarly, in the case of understeer DSC would act upon the "inner" rear (and, if needed, front) wheel to regain vehicle stability. In the new 3 Series, the braking effect is applied at both "inner" wheels.

These regulatory interventions are effected by the DSC electronic and hydraulic systems more rapidly and precisely than a driver's reactions, and, moreover, they are hardly felt by the vehicle's occupants.

Components :

DSC makes use of the ABS wheel-speed sensors, and also of the following additional components :

• steering angle sensor to detect the driver's chosen path
• lateral-acceleration sensor to define the lateral forces which must be transmitted to the road by the tyres
• rate-of-turn sensor to define the vehicle's degree of rotary movement
• brake-pressure sensor to define the longitudinal forces acting between tyres and road surface under braking