“Ford leads the industry in top crash-test safety ratings; now we’re helping take crash protection and prevention to new levels with technologies such as our new air bag pressure sensors,” says Steve Kozak, chief engineer of Ford Safety Systems. Each Ohio Ford dealer and others, such as Beechmont Ford, are focusing on these strategies.
Ford is doing some new (and fun) tests to improve their safety technologies. Some of these tests include ramming shopping carts into the car at high speeds, or using water cannons to force vehicles to skid. The tests are part of an ongoing effort to accelerate new collision protection avoidance technologies.
The engineers are doing these tests to take thousands of impact readings that help calibrate sensitivity of airbag pressure sensors being introduced in the new F10 and 2010 Taurus. The engineers want to be sure that a basketball from a neighbors yard won’t trigger the airbag. If the sensors can disregard minor collisions, they’ll have a step in the right direction.
Safety features are one of the top ten reasons why Ford buyers chose their vehicle, such as the Ford Explorer, according to the 2008 New Vehicle Customer Study. More than fifty percent of Ford buyers indicated that safety features are “extremely important” in their decision to purchase a Ford vehicle.
“Ford’s efforts to advance vehicle safety are driving more car buyers to the brand. And their interest in safety continues to fuel innovation among our vehicle designers and engineers.” – Mike Harper, brand and tracking manager, Ford Market Research
