EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — On August 7, 2012, members of Aetna and ASM’s Operations team and the Fleet Service Manager attended a training and demonstration session of the Adaptive Electronic Stability Program. ESP is standard on the Sprinter Ambulances that Aetna Ambulance and ASM operate. The training was held regionally at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Operating Mercedes Benz Sprinter Ambulances equipped with Adaptive ESP is part of Aetna and ASM’s long-term commitment to the safety of our patients and EMS crews. Aetna and ASM are in the process of transitioning to all Sprinters for the regular fleet and currently operate 33 Sprinter Ambulances.

According to their website, ESP is designed to assist the driver in maintaining control of the vehicle and intervene automatically when the vehicle detects a potential issue.

Where cars usually carry similar loads, the load in a van is always altering. Adaptive ESP adapts to the load continually, moving with the center of gravity as loads vary and adjusts to the specific load that is being carried. This system automatically detects when the vehicle is understeering or oversteering and intervenes to assist the driver to maintain control.

A vehicle without Electronic Stability Program of any kind, relies totally on driver input to maintain control in an unexpected situation. This can often result in a total loss of vehicle control.