Ford Sun-Proofed the 2015 F-150 Right Down to The Oval
Though the harsh winter months take a toll on your vehicle’s sheen, the summer sun isn’t much better. Over time, the sun’s rays can fade a vehicle’s colors and cause irreversible damage to materials both inside and out. To ensure that the 2015 F-150 looks as new on day 1,501 as it did on day one, Ford took extra steps to effectively sun-proof its pickup truck.
Ford used advanced software to determine which materials would reflect the least amount of sunlight. This not only keeps the look of the F-150 fresh for years after it rolls off the lot, but it also helps improve driver visibility and extends the life of digital nav and infotainment screens, which can be bled out by excessive exposure to sunlight.
“By reducing indirect glare, the driver should practically never see a sun spot in the center screen or instrument cluster,” said Cary Diehl, Ford human factors engineer. “In addition to testing gauges and screens under these conditions, we looked at the amount of light given off by LEDs in window and steering wheel control switches to ensure they would not be distracting to the driver when lit.”
Gallery: Ford Sun-Proofed the 2015 F-150
To ensure that all vital information is always visible to the driver, Ford shaded all of the F-150’s instrument panels and gauges and enhanced many of them with supplemental lighting.
Ford was so extensive that it even tested the Blue Oval emblem, subjecting it to temperatures as low as 40 degrees below Celsius and blasts of steam as hot as 100 degrees Celsius to ensure that it won’t warp or crack under harsh conditions.
“Built Ford Tough means more than surviving dirt, rocks and mud, or towing heavy trailers,” said Cindy McComb, materials engineer in the Central Lab. “We like to think our work on this truck has given it the kind of sun protection Built Ford Tough trucks require to look as good after five years of exposure to sun, wind and rain as they do when they leave the showroom floor.”
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