Ford unveils test car that avoids obstacles automatically

Like many auto manufacturers, Ford is hard at work on technology that will help drivers to avoid accidents on the roads. Ford unveiled its Fusion hybrid research vehicle for helping the company build more driver assist tech into their cars. Ford is also talking up some other tech it is working on including a car that can avoid obstacles on its own.

Ford is working on a new semi-automated driving technology. This technology allows the car to recognize obstacles in the path of the vehicle and automatically avoid them. The tech is designed to automatically steer the vehicle around an obstacle and to automatically apply the brakes to avoid collisions.

Ford says that the tech will help drivers to avoid other vehicles that are stopped or driving slowly in the lane ahead. This system would take over for the driver when an obstacle in the road is detected and the driver takes no action on their own. Ford says that the tech is a milestone in Fords Blueprint for Mobility that includes a vision for future automated tech and functionality.

The tech in the obstacle avoidance system uses three radars, ultrasonic sensors, and a camera to scan the road as far as 656 feet ahead. The system first gives a warning to the driver, then sounds a chime, and takes over if no action is taken by the driver. Sensors found in systems like the driver assist technology and obstacle avoidance tech are building blocks for automated driving in the future. The obstacle avoidance technology first debuted on the Ford Edge concept last month that featured self-parking technology. Ford has demonstrated its obstacle avoidance technology using a Ford Focus at its test track in Dearborn and says that the tech has been tested at speeds greater than 38mph so far.

SOURCE: Ford