Friday, December 21, 2012

12/21/12: New 2013 Ford Fusion Driver Assist Technologies

I own a Ford Fusion and I love it.  When I first got it one of my favorite features was the SYNC technology.  SYNC allows for voice controlled calling which I use regularly.  I can't image having a car without it now.  It also allows for controlling your music with voice commands.  For an affordable price it was the perfect solution for us.  I am very excited to share some of the 2013 safety features.
All-New Ford Fusion

The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion is loaded driver assist technologies. This includes a Lane-Keeping System, Driver Alert System, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS ®), active park assist, cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, collision warning and a rear view camera.
One cool feature is the Lane-Keeping System which will keep drivers alert.  When taking long drives in the car sometimes drivers can get drowsy.  The US Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that there are approximately 100,000 crashes each year that are the direct result of driver fatigue. An internal survey conducted by Ford showed that 46% of drivers have either fallen asleep while driving or know someone who had, and 83% have driven while tired or know someone who has. In another survey by AAA it found that more than 40% of Americans acknowledged they have fallen asleep or nodded off while driving.  
All-New Ford Fusion Hybrid
This system uses a forward-facing camera to scan the road surface for lane markings. The Lane-Keeping System can evaluate if the car is drifting out of its lane and then alert the driver by vibrating the steering wheel. If the driver does not respond to the vibrations, the system provides steering torque to nudge the car back toward the center of lane.
Here is some video to preview this:
Another feature is Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross-traffic alert.  There are radar sensors in the rear corners that monitor the area beside the car and behind it.  When the sensor senses another vehicle in the blind spot that you may not be able to see when changing lights it triggers a warning light in the mirror indicating the car that is there.  Also when backing out of parking spaces this sensor can sense cars coming.  Plus the new back-up camera provides a view right behind the bumper.  
All-New Ford Fusion on Display at 2012 NAIAS
“The new Fusion is a showcase of how we will use sensors and vehicle data to enhance the driver’s own capabilities when behind the wheel,” said Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president of Ford Research and Innovation. “Driver assist technologies will continue to provide increasing levels of convenience in the near-term. In the future, they also will help us manage issues such as traffic congestion and CO2 reduction.” 
Here is some video highlighting BLIS:

I could have used this next feature on my driving test.  Active Park Assist allows power-assisted steering and ultrasonic sensors at the corners of the car to help you parallel park. The sensors measure the gap between parked cars to see if there is enough room, and then the car is automatically steered into the space. The driver just has to apply the accelerator and brake.  Love it! 
With all these awesome features it might be time to invest in a new Ford Fusion.  Love this blue one!
2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
To check out the story behind the new Fusion For more on the new Ford Fusion, check out:  http://FordFusionStory.com
For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com
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Disclosure:  I was invited to a Ford Sponsored event at L'Aroma Cafe in West Newton.  All opinions are my own and no compensation was received.   

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