Ford Truck Safety Features You Might Want to Know About
If you have not yet driven the 2021 Ford F-150, you'll be happy to know that it integrates a bunch of safety features that enhance the overall driving experience. This 13th-generation model stands at an astonishing 20 feet long and is 7 feet wide. In terms of safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) considers the 2021 Ford F-150 second on the list, beating some of the most popular brands out there.
Although the sheer size of this Ford model makes it hard for new drivers to maneuver around corners and turns, you can still enjoy driving around in it if you can master the main safety attributes it comes with. In this guide, we look at some of these features and explain how each makes the F-150 better and safer.
The Ford Co-Pilot360™ Driver Assist Technology
Also referred to as the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), this safety feature alerts drivers when another vehicle is within 10 feet of the car's rear bumper. The major benefit of having this installed on your F-150 is that it makes you aware of what's happening behind your vehicle when you are distracted or still learning to drive the Ford truck.
You can experiment with the BLIS system by locating an orange dot on the side mirror. This dot will automatically light up when another car approaches you from behind, especially when you’re looking to change lanes or back up the vehicle.
However, it is essential to differentiate between the two functionalities of the Ford Co-Pilot360™ driver assist technology. The first is called the Cross Traffic Alert and works when you are in reverse gear. Depending on the direction of the oncoming traffic, the orange dot will light up on the corresponding side mirror as you back up. This message is also relayed on the information display.
The second functionality, called Trailer Coverage, helps protect drivers who are towing conventional trailers. You can use this system for trailers that are up to nine feet long, although this function will deactivate if you select a gooseneck or fifth-wheel trailer.
Pre-Collision Assist
People appreciate this safety feature for its built-in autonomous emergency braking technology. Pre-Collision Assist enables drivers to avoid frontal collisions with pedestrians or oncoming traffic.
When a potential collision is detected, you will notice a sound go off and a warning sign on the information display. The primary advantage here is that your braking system automatically becomes fully responsive once you brake, giving you ample time to take corrective action. Sometimes, the vehicle will brake by itself when it detects the absence of timely corrective action.
The 360-Degree Camera
As the name suggests, the 360-degree camera lets you view what is happening around your truck through a split-view display. The display is split into four images to give you a bird's eye view of your surroundings.
Lane Keeping System
Sometimes, drivers can get distracted when making turns and they forget to activate the turn signals. The Ford Truck lane-keeping system is designed to send haptic feedback to the steering wheel, stiffening it just in time for you to signal that you are changing lanes.
As long as you don't panic when this happens, you will have enough time to balance the steering wheel and activate the turn signal.
Auto High Beam
Another common challenge for most drivers is turning their vehicles' high beams off when there is incoming traffic during the night. This often gets annoying, especially when heading home following a long day at work.
The good thing about the new Ford F-150 is its ability to turn high beams off automatically. This occurs when a windshield-mounted camera detects oncoming traffic 2000 feet away or when you approach a car that is 500 feet ahead of you. However, the system will only work when you're driving upwards of 40 miles per hour.
Adaptive Cruise Control
With this safety feature, drivers can maintain a distance with vehicles up to 500 feet in front. You can simply set the custom distance you want to keep, especially when in slow traffic, and the Ford Truck will automatically do the rest for you.
However, sometimes, the vehicle will come to a halt for more than three seconds based on the settings you initially input into the system and the pace of traffic. When this happens, you can accelerate the truck as usual or tap on the "RES" button to regain control of the vehicle.
Curve Control
This fascinating safety feature will protect you and your vehicle from crashing when approaching a curve on the road. The Ford Truck typically employs the Roll Stability Control functionality to detect a dangerous situation around a bend, especially when over-speeding.
This is important since you can easily take back control over your vehicle during emergencies through the vehicle's application of four-wheel braking in such situations.
Trailer Sway Control
You can easily maintain control over your trailer through the Ford Truck's Roll Stability Control System, which measures your vehicle's speed in transit. The inbuilt sensors ensure improved stability, meaning that your trailer remains in control at all times.
Other Notable Ford Truck Safety Measures
The following are some additional safety measures that Ford has integrated into the 2021 Ford F-150:
- Anti-lock brakes
- Safety belt pretensioners
- Tire pressure monitoring
- Traction control
- Front airbags
- Overhead airbags
- Side airbags
- Daytime running lights
- Hill Start Assist
- Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
- Safety belt usage sensors
- Crash severity sensor
Bottom Line
All in all, we believe that Ford has outdone itself with the F-150. The vehicle provides luxury coupled with much-needed stability and is also highly accommodative for new drivers, thereby, helping mitigate all types of safety risks.
Contact Camera Source today if you're interested in adding safety features to your older Ford model or adding/changing cameras on newer models. We have a team of professionals who specialize in selling and installing OEM-grade backup camera systems at reasonable prices. We ensure that we meet our client's needs by focusing on what is best for them both now and in the future.
