What is Porsche Stability Management (PSM)? Safety and Performance

Let’s look at how this sophisticated system works to optimize your Porsche vehicle‘s stability, no matter how wet the road is. 

Understanding Porsche Stability Management: Superb Safety and Performance

Cleaner, Safer Cornering

When powering along in your Porsche, turns are far safer with PSM, which is essentially a very advanced electronic stability system. The danger with most cars during a turn is the pressure of yaw acceleration, causing the rear wheels to skid and the tail end to spin out of control, a particular hazard on wet stretches of road during or after rainfall.

With PSM, your Porsche detects this risk as you turn and dampens your steering controls while adjusting the amount of power and brake force applied to each wheel independently. In fact, it makes thousands of tiny adjustments per second throughout the turn, holding each wheel firmly to the road. As the driver, all you experience is an incredible sense of stability and effortless cornering. 

Parameters Measured By PSM

Your PSM measures several parameters continually: yaw rate (how quickly the car is turning), wheel-spin, steering angle, and g-force both longitudinally (backward and forward) and latitudinally (side-to-side). By measuring your steering inputs, it can tell whether or not you’re steering appropriately in each moment to maintain traction, given the various forces acting on your car. 

Handle Ice With Ease

While winters are rarely sub-zero in Arizona, occasional icy weather can take drivers by surprise. With PSM working hand-in-hand with Porsche Traction Management, your Porsche is always ready for sudden patches of road frost in the colder months. 

Porsche Wet Mode

With two rainy seasons and occasional monsoons, Arizona drivers are more familiar with rain. PSM is ideal in wet road conditions, and some modern models offer additional Wet Mode, which preconditions PSM to an even greater degree for the risk of hydroplaning, where water can threaten to temporarily rob tires of traction. 

With this system active, your car uses acoustic sensors on the front wheel housing to detect water spray thrown up from the road. PSM is then preconditioned, ready to react with greater sensitivity to water-related hazards. 

Adjust PSM for Driver Engagement 

Some drivers prefer to feel more directly in control of their car’s handling dynamics, with less interference from PSM. To accommodate these preferences, the level of intervention can be adjusted. In some cases, you can turn PSM off altogether. This wouldn’t be suitable for the majority of Porsche owners, who prioritize safety while still enjoying superb performance and driving pleasure. 

Visit Porsche North Scottsdale in Phoenix, AZ, today to test drive your dream Porsche and see PSM in action.