All new Australian vehicles will be fitted with a new electronic stability control (ESC) technology that could reduce the number of fatal accidents by 25%.

The life saving technology will be fitted to all new models of passenger vehicles from November 2011 and all vehicle models from November 2013.

The computerised system helps drivers to maintain control of their vehicles, particularly in adverse conditions such as wet weather.

The vehicle’s speed, steering wheel angle, direction of travel and cornering acceleration are monitored continuously and automatic brakes are applied by the system if there is a risk of skidding or overturning.

The innovative technology has the potential to save lives, research done by the UK government suggests.