For much of its existence, the Lexus ES has anchored the entry-level luxury car segment of the Lexus lineup, a position it maintained until the introduction of the Lexus IS sport luxury sedans in 1998. Like the previous generation ES 330 model, the current fifth generation ES 350 is geared towards the comfort luxury segment, with an emphasis on interior amenities, quietness, and a smooth ride. For the past fifteen years, the Lexus ES has been the best-selling Lexus sedan in the United States.

All Acura RLs are built in Saitama, Japan. The very first Acura RL rolled off the assembly line on January 4, 1996.

The 2008 Acura RL continues unchanged in the US market. MSRP increases $500 in each trim:

* 2008 RL $46,280
* 2008 RL with Technology Package $49,900
* 2008 RL with Technology and CMBS/PAX Packages $53,700

In Canada, the 2008 Acura RL is available with two different models, Base and Elite Package. The Elite Package adds Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Active Front Lighting System (AFS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), heated and cooled ventilated front seats and burled maple wood trim.

Standard & A-Spec: Engine: 3471 cc V6
Power: 290 bhp (216 kW) @ 6200 rpm
Torque: 256 ft·lbf (347 N·m) @ 5000 rpm

The first production LDW system in Europe was the system developed by Iteris for Mercedes Actros commercial trucks. The system debuted in 2000 and is now available on most trucks sold in Europe. In 2002, the Iteris system became available on Freightliner trucks in North America. In Japan, Mitsubishi Fuso implemented the system in 2007. In all of these systems, the driver is warned of unintentional lane departures by an audible rumble strip sound generated on the side of the vehicle drifting out of the lane. If a turn signal is used, no warnings are generated.

The first passenger vehicle system available in North America was the system jointly developed by Valeo and Iteris for Nissan Motors and is fitted as an option to their Infiniti FX and Infiniti M vehicles. In this system, a camera mounted in the overhead console above the mirror monitors the lane markings on a roadway. A warning tone is triggered when the vehicle begins to drift over the marking to alert the driver who may, for example, be feeling drowsy or distracted.

In 2008, Infiniti will offer a new version of this feature, which it calls the Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) system. This feature will utilize the vehicle stability control system to help assist the driver in maintaining lane position by applying gentle brake pressure.

In Europe Citroën first offered LDW on their 2005 C4 and C5 models, and now also on their C6. This system uses infrared sensors under the front bumper to monitor lane markings on the road surface. A vibration mechanism in the seat alerts the driver of deviations.

In 2006, Lexus introduced a multi-mode Lane Keep Assist feature which utilizes multiple stereocameras, infrared sensors, along with object and pattern recognition processors. On the Lexus LS, this system allows the vehicle to issue audiovisual warnings and apply corrective steering responses to steer the vehicle back to its lane.

In 2007, General Motors introduced Lane Departure Warning on its 2008 model year [Cadillac] STS, DTS and Buick Lucerne models. The General Motors systems warn the driver in much the same way Infiniti started, with an audible tone and a warning indicator in the dashboard. Also in 2007, BMW introduced Lane Departure Warning on the 5 series and 6 series using a vibrating steering wheel to warn the driver of unintended departures. Finally Volvo introduced the Lane Departure Warning system along with the Driver Alert Control on its 2008 model year Volvo S80 and on the new Volvo V70 and XC70 executive cars. Volvo’s lane departure warning system uses a camera to track road markings and sound an alarm when drivers depart their lane without signaling.

The systems used by BMW, Volvo, Cadillac and Buick are based on technology from Mobileye. An aftermarket (retrofit) version of the technology that combines Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Headway Monitoring (HWM) became available in 2006.

Robert Bosch GmbH and Mercedes Benz co-developed the first ESC system called Elektronisches Stabilitätsprogramm (ger.”electronic stability programme” trademarked as ESP) for the flagship Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan. ESC first came to general notice after a Mercedes-Benz A-Class car (without ESC) failed the moose test (sudden swerving to avoid an obstacle). Because Mercedes-Benz promotes its reputation for safety[1] Mercedes recalled and retrofitted 130,000 Mercedes-Benz A-Class cars with ESC. This produced a profound reduction in crashes. Mercedes Benz licensed ESP/ESC for use by other vehicle manufacturers at no cost, including Volvo who added “DSA” as an option on all models and as standard in larger models in 1995. Mercedes-Benz became the first manufacturer to make ESC standard across its model range in 1999, with Volvo making its versions DSA, DSC and DSTC standard across all models on the release of new models between 1998-2000 as well as adding “EBD” (electronic brake force distribution) as standard on all models sold including existing models like the S/V40 in 1998. As of the 2008 model year, many manufacturers still have yet to install ESC as standard on all models. For example, ESC is not available for the Honda Fit or the Ford Focus (American version, but it is available for the European second generation Focus, which is a totally different car to American Focus), although Ford has announced that all its vehicles in North America will be equipped with ESC by the end of 2009.

ESC was introduced to the mass market by Robert Bosch GmbH/Mercedes-Benz, Continental Automotive Systems, Delphi and TRW. Electronic Stability Control is the generic term recognized by the Society of Automotive Engineers and other authorities, although vehicle manufacturers use a variety of different trade names (see below).

The term four-wheel drive describes truck-like vehicles that require the driver to manually switch between two-wheel drive mode for streets and four-wheel drive mode for low traction conditions such as ice, mud, snow, slippery surfaces, or loose gravel. All-wheel drive (AWD) is often used to describe a “full time” 4WD that may be used on dry pavement without destroying the drivetrain (It should be noted that “Full-Time” 4WD can be disengaged and the center differential can be locked, essentially turning it into regular 4WD. On the other hand, AWD cannot be disengaged and the center differential cannot be locked. although the term may be abused when marketing a vehicle. AWD can be used on dry pavement because it employs the use of a center differential, which allows each tire to receive different amounts of power. This eliminates driveline binding, wheel hop and other driveline issues associated with the use of 4WD on dry pavement. With vehicles with more than four wheels, AWD means all wheels drive the vehicle, to varying degrees of engagement while 4WD means only four of the wheels drive the vehicle continuously. Identical drivetrain systems are commonly marketed under different names for upmarket and downmarket branding, and conversely different drivetrain systems are commonly marketed under the same name for brand uniformity. For example, Audi’s quattro, DaimlerChrysler’s 4Matic used on Mercedes-Benz products, BMW with the xDrive, and Volkswagen’s 4motion can mean either an automatically-engaging system with a Haldex clutch or a continuously-operating system with a Torsen differential.

There is often confusion as to the difference between 4X4s and SUVs. This leads to criticisms of 4X4 vehicles in the media that should actually be directed at SUVs.

The intervention can consist of any, or all, of the following:
- Retard or suppress the spark to one or more cylinders
- Reduce fuel supply to one or more cylinders
- Brake one or more wheels
- Close the throttle, if the vehicle is fitted with drive by wire throttle.
- In turbo-charged vehicles, the boost control solenoid can be actuated to reduce boost and therefore engine power.

Typically, the Traction Control system shares the brake actuator and the wheel speed sensors with the anti-lock braking system.

The crumple zone concept was used by the Mercedes-Benz engineer Béla Barényi on the 1959 Mercedes-Benz “Fintail”.

Crumple zones work by managing the crash energy so that it is absorbed within the frontal section of the vehicle, and by preventing intrusion into or deformation of the passenger cabin. This acts to ensure front seat occupants are properly protected against injury. In simplistic terms, this is done by strengthening the passenger cabin part of the body by using more reinforced beams and increasingly, higher strength steels.

A common misconception about crumple zones is that they reduce safety by allowing the vehicle’s body to collapse, crushing the occupants. The marked improvement over the past two decades in high speed crash test results proves this is a misconception. Modern vehicles using what are commonly termed ‘crumple zones’ provide, on average, far superior protection for their occupants in severe tests than older models.[citation needed]

The only other general downside to crumple zones is that repair costs are higher in “fender bender” accidents.

The 2004 Pininfarina Nido Experimental Safety Vehicle locates crumple zones inside the Survival Cell. Those interior crumple zones decelerate a sled-mounted survival cell.