What Safety Features Do New Ford Vehicles Have?
As one of the leading automotive manufacturers in the world, Ford has always placed a high priority on safety features in its vehicles. From advanced driver assistance technologies to structural enhancements, Ford has continuously worked to improve the safety of its vehicles to protect the drivers and passengers in its cars, as well as other drivers, cyclists, and even pedestrians that share the road.
If you haven’t gotten behind the wheel of a new vehicle in a while, some of these new features can be confusing as to what they do and how they operate. Some items are enhancements of existing safety systems, while others are brand new. A few features are optional; only some packages or models have every feature. Overall, however, all new Ford vehicles have safety enhancements that are improvements over prior model years.
The emphasis that Ford puts on safety is just one more reason that Mike White Ford is proud to be part of the Ford family. Here is a quick rundown of some of the most critical safety features and what they do. Let’s start with the ones you are already familiar with.
Safety Enhancements in Ford Design
Ford was one of the innovators in installing airbags back in the early 1970s, and driver-side airbags have been mandatory in new vehicles since the 1999 model year. Today, Ford’s advanced airbag system includes front, side, and curtain airbags designed to provide drivers and passengers protection in the event of a collision from any direction. The airbag system is also equipped with sensors that can detect the severity of a collision and deploy the airbags accordingly.
Ford has also made significant improvements in the structural integrity of their vehicles, enhancing their ability to protect occupants in the event of a collision or rollover. Many Ford vehicles are now built with high-strength steel and advanced materials that can absorb and redirect impact forces away from the passenger cabin.
Other safety features now standard on most new Ford vehicles include a rearview camera, automatic high beams, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
Rearview cameras have been critical in helping drivers see what’s behind them that may be too small to see or below the field of vision outside the rear window. Used in conjunction with windows, mirrors, and sensors, rearview cameras enhance the awareness of drivers to their surroundings. Ford’s rearview cameras also feature side and center guidelines, assisting drivers with parking, backing into tight spaces, and guiding trailers.
Sensors that detect oncoming headlamps or taillights enable the automatic high-beam feature. High beams automatically switch on when the field is clear and off when another vehicle is detected. This frees the driver from the distraction of controlling the high beams while ensuring that visibility is optimum in poor-light situations. Ford cars are also equipped with LED headlamps for better visibility. LED lamps also mean that fog lamps are no longer needed, removing that distraction from driver control, as well.
The automatic tire-pressure monitoring system reduces the risk of accidents caused by poor road handling due to low tire pressure.
What’s New?
One of Ford’s most significant safety developments is the Co-Pilot360TM suite of driver assistance technologies. This suite includes numerous features, including Automatic Emergency Braking, Ford’s Lane-Keeping System, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Cross-Traffic Alert, and Adaptive Cruise Control. All of these features help drivers to avoid collisions or other types of accidents.
Automatic Emergency Braking uses cameras and sensors to detect potential collisions. If a collision is imminent, the system can automatically apply the brakes to avoid or mitigate the impact of a crash.
The Lane-Keeping System will warn a driver – through steering wheel vibrations – when the driver veers into another lane. If it happens repeatedly, the system sends warnings indicating that the driver should pull over. This is especially critical if a driver is sleepy, intoxicated, or distracted. Lane Centering Assist uses scanners to scan lane markings to help the driver keep the vehicle within a given lane.
The BLIS detects and alerts drivers to vehicles in the driver’s blind spots. Cross-Traffic Alert will alert the driver to cars crossing behind when a driver reverses out of a parking spot or driveway.
Ford also offers several optional safety features that can be added to its vehicles, such as adaptive cruise control, which uses radar to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front. If the car slows down, the system automatically slows the vehicle. It will resume when traffic returns to normal flow if the slowdown is temporary. If the slowdown is extended, the system will have to be reset.
Come to Mike White Ford For a Test DriveOverall, safety is a top priority for us. Ford continues to invest in research and development to improve its safety features and ensure that Ford vehicles are among the safest on the road. If you’re in the market for a new car, visit Mike White Ford in Coeur d’Alene or Sandpoint, your family-owned Ford dealerships in north Idaho. We would love to show you our new Ford line-up and demonstrate some of the latest features designed to keep you and your family safe on the road.