Ford Announces Family-Friendly Safety Features — like Collision Warning with Brake Support:
With the Collision Warning system, the car’s radar compares closing distance and speed with objects in the car’s path.If specific criteria relating to distance and speed are met, the car’s computer thinks you are headed for an accident. The vehicle will warn the driver with both an audible warning and a visual warning (red lights projected on the windshield). If your vehicle continues on its path without adjustment, the car will pre-charge the brakes in anticipation of an emergency stop. The Collision Warning system was developed after learning from the NHTSA that just an additional second of warning could prevent nearly 90% of all rear-end crashes. Ford’s Collision Warning system gives drivers an extra 1.5 to 2.5 seconds to avoid a crash.
Ford is also placing similar radar modules behind the rear quarter panels, to detect cars driving in blind spots on either side of the vehicle as it back up — the Blind Spot Information System, or BLIS, for short.
Parents will like the MyKey option, where some keys can be assigned safety features:
- Persistent Ford Beltminder — The reminder chime will continue to sound until the seat belt is fastened — it won’t time out. Additionally, the stereo will remain muted until the seat belt is fastened.
- Low fuel warning — The standard 50 miles to empty warning will be increased to 75 miles to empty.
- Traction control cannot be deactivated.
- Audio is limited to 44% of maximum volume.
- Top speed is limited to 80 mph.
- Speed alert will chime at 45, 55 & 65 mph.