Ford's Next-Gen Driver Assist Will Deny You the Right of Running People Over
How many times have you nearly backed your car over a child that was too short to see through your rear window? If the answer is more than once, you’re probably getting more than just a little tired of dealing with angry parents.
Fortunately, Ford has announced that its next generation of driver assistance technology will include self-stopping pedestrian detection. The automaker also plans to offer vehicles with enhanced “evasive steering” assist, aided cross-traffic negotiation, and advanced self-parking. While these safety features sound great in theory, they may forbid drivers from using their vehicle as a deadly weapon on public roads — at least on their own terms.
Likely stemming from Ford’s autonomous driving R&D efforts, the next generation of driver assists range from parking help to automatically creeping through traffic. One thing they don’t include is wanton destruction and vehicular mayhem.
No more ramming other cars
Designed to function at both city and highway speeds, evasive steering assist is designed to help drivers maneuver around slow or stopped vehicles in order to avoid a collision. It uses radar and a forward-mounted camera to detect vehicles ahead and provides “steering support” to avoid them when the system decides a crash is imminent and the braking distance is inadequate.
The current incarnation of steering assist does allow the driver to take over, most likely in case the system decides to throw you off the road and into an entirely new hazard. Ford doesn’t make it clear how the feature decided where to steer you in the event of a potential crash.
The company is also working on a traffic jam mode for its vehicles. Think of it as cruise control for the absolute worst of conditions. The system helps the driver keep the vehicle centered in their own lane, braking and accelerating with the vehicle ahead. Some high-end automakers already offer a similar feature.
No more hitting pedestrians
In development now, Ford’s cross-traffic system will detect objects that are about to pass behind the vehicle while it is reversing. An extremely wide-angle rear view camera will allow the driver to see around blind corners, with the system emitting a warning sound if a wayward human or vehicle encroaches.
If none of this stops an oblivious or willfully dangerous driver, the system automatically applies the brakes to avoid crushing a pedestrian. Ford wants this feature to work in tandem with its enhanced parking assist. The company says future vehicles will parallel park and even back into a perpendicular space without any input from the driver.
No more driving directly into oncoming traffic
Using a combination of GPS data and visual information collected by cameras, Ford wants vehicles to alert drivers if they’ve accidentally started driving the wrong way down a one-way street or onto an expressway off-ramp. At the moment, this simply an alert and nothing more. There won’t be anything physically stopping you from doing it beyond a mildly annoying sound.
The automaker is also developing camera-based headlight beam widening and “spotlighting” to offer better stopped and low-speed turning visibility. The latter uses an infrared camera to help detect pedestrians, cyclists, or animals and highlight these potential hazards for drivers.
While still in development, Ford expects the features to appear in new vehicles sometime within the next two years.
[Image: Ford Motor Co.]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Is this type of technology for demented people who should have their licenses revoked or just nincompoops? Just what I want, having some easily hackable computer in my Ford Aspire randomly swerving around a possum directly into a Peterbilt. Oh no, I can't park on my own! Oh I can't stop texting and taking selfies so I just ran over a bunch of people! Oh wow, staying in my lane is so hard! Whatever happened to taking personal responsibility, using your brain, and driving safely? Honestly, if someone can't stay in their lane, or park their own car after taking Driver's Ed they really should not get a license. And yes, in a rare but plausible circumstance where someone is being attacked while in their car they would no chance of escape. A couple thugs with baseball bats would have you dead to rights because your car would refuse to budge in the name of public safety.
I tip my hat to the B&B for not making the obvious / tired Mustang vs. pedestrian joke. (Unless I just made it.)