Ford is launching a collision warning system designed to notify the driver of an imminent collision and manipulate the brakes if necessary in order to avoid a crash. It is smart enough to tell whether the car is heading straight toward a person or to an inanimate object.
The new automatic braking technology will be featured in the upcoming 2015 Mondeo that is soon going on sale in Europe. Eventually, the car company's new collision warning system will be built in the full lineup since Ford will be redesigning the vehicles with the said technology. It will be an optional feature in the Mondeo.
The technology, known as Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, is designed by Ford to make frontal collisions that involve pedestrians less severe or even altogether avoidable. Through driver-assist technology, a car can halt, accelerate and steer to save it from a dangerous collision.
This new technology is the backbone of what has been referred to as "semi-autonomous driving." Other available driver-assist technologies from Ford include active park assist, adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, Blind Spot Information System, which includes cross-traffic alert, and lane-keeping system with lane-keeping aid.
The Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection utilizes a camera and radar detection system that enables the car to study the road ahead. If it detects a different vehicle or a pedestrian and understands a collision threat, the system sends out a warning to the driver. Should the driver fail to respond promptly, the system will decide on itself to enable a full force on the brakes so as to lessen the severity of -- or even avoid being engaged in -- frontal collisions.
The Pre-Collision Assist feature can also help drivers to avoid collisions with other vehicles on the rear end at all speed types. The Pedestrian Detection, as the name implies, can prevent the driver from hitting a pedestrian when he's driving at a reduced speed.
Ford engineers tested the technology on the track and in real-world situations. They covered over 300,000 miles across three continents, where the vehicle was exposed to various kinds of settings and situations.
"This real-world testing was an important part of the development, because pedestrians in an urban setting can present a wide range of potential situations," said Scott Lindstrom, Ford manager for Driver Assist Technologies.
