The Ford semi-automatic car steers around obstacles that the driver is not reacting to.
Imagine a car that could not only warn you of an obstacle ahead of you on the road, but also automatically steer and brake for you, allowing you to overcome the obstacle with ease. Now, imagine a car that parks itself, with no stress in those tight parking situations. Well, this futuristic car is no longer just in your imagination —Ford Motor Company demonstrated the latest in obstacle avoidance and fully assisted parking technology last week, the first North American demonstration in the industry, moving the car industry closer to fully automated driving in the future.
“The obstacle avoidance research project is a prime example of technologies we are developing to benefit drivers whose Ford vehicles are equipped with the technology and others who share the road with them,” said Pual Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president of Ford research and innovation. “We are optimistic that through our research and findings, we will be able to reduce these types of rear-end collisions.”
As part of Ford’s Blueprint for Mobility, the sensor-based technologies act as building blocks for the future. Illustrated on the Ford Edge Concept that made its premiere at the LA Auto Show last month, the obstacle avoidance technology turns the Ford semi-automated car into a driving machine, allowing it to automatically steer or brake to avoid vehicles that are stopped or slowing down in the same lane ahead. A warning is first issued to give the driver time to perform the actions first, but if the driver isn’t receptive, the car then takes driving into its own hands, keeping the passengers within the car safe.
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