The first
Bosch ESP debuted on the 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W140) — the system that pioneered yaw-rate-based intervention. American cars got ESC slightly later; the 1998 Cadillac Seville STS was an early adopter.
The Moose Test
The 1997 Mercedes A-Class flipped during the Swedish "moose test" (avoidance manoeuvre) — and Mercedes' response was to fit ESC as standard, two years before NHTSA had any data on the technology. The publicity was the catalyst that forced the industry to take ESC seriously.
The federal mandate
NHTSA mandated ESC on all new passenger vehicles sold in the US under FMVSS 126, phased in 2008-2012. Studies showed ESC reduced single-vehicle fatal crashes by 49%. It is one of the most effective vehicle safety regulations ever passed.
The point
ESC is invisible until you need it. It detects when your car is rotating differently than your steering says it should be — and brakes individual wheels to bring it back. SUV rollover deaths fell 80% for vehicles with ESC. Most drivers will never know they were saved by it.