Ford Introduces New Technologies for Easy Parking and Tracking

The parking process is associated with many drivers with nervous tension, danger and even an item of repair costs.

For example, a quarter of all accidents in the UK occur in car parks.¹. According to the polls, half of the drivers would prefer to leave the car further from their destination than resort to parallel parking².
Ford's system for detecting perpendicularly moving cars (CrossTraffic Alert) is designed to reduce parking stress by recognizing people and objects that may be behind the car - the system warns the driver and then automatically activates the brake system if the driver does not respond. A wide-angle rear view camera will transmit a picture of the space behind the car to the side screen. An advanced system of active assistance for parking will allow one-button parking to automatically park both in parallel and perpendicular parking.
Other technologies developed by Ford's European Center for Research and Innovation in Aachen, Germany, include systems to help drivers avoid obstacles to prevent high-speed collisions; as well as warning drivers about leaving the oncoming lane.

These new technologies, which are expected to appear in Ford cars in two years, are being developed as part of the company's plan to increase investments in the development of driver assistance technologies three times in order to further develop their capabilities, as well as accelerate their implementation in cars to simplify driving and parking in traffic congestion and to avoid collisions.
An advanced active parking assistance system is activated at the touch of a button and automatically controls steering, gear selection and shifting between reverse and forward. The system allows for both parallel and perpendicular parking. The advanced Active Parking Assist system also uses sensors to find the right parking spot.
A system for detecting perpendicularly moving cars (CrossTraffic Alert) with the braking function uses radar sensors to monitor the space behind the car. If the driver continues to reverse and does not respond to a warning from the system, it will automatically stop the car to avoid a collision. The purpose of the development of this system is the ability to recognize approaching motorcycles or bicycles.
The wide-angle rear-view camera installed in Europe on Ford Edge, Galaxy and S-MAX models displays the view of the space behind the car on the on-board monitor, offering functionality similar to that provided by the front wide-angle camera.Thanks to the cameras, when reversing, the driver will be able to better see obstacles hidden behind a turn or behind objects located nearby.

Turn off the dangerous path

Ford’s other technology will allow you to go around the car that emergency brakes ahead to avoid a collision.

Specifically designed to operate at speeds typical of urban and freeway traffic, Evasive Steering Assist uses a combination of radar and camera to detect slowing or stopped traffic, helping to avoid an obstacle if the risk of collision is too high.
The system is activated in a situation where it is impossible to avoid an accident by braking, and the driver decides to dodge. This system complements the existing head-on collision warning function and the Pre-Collision Assist with pedestrian recognition technology, which reduces the severity of a head-on collision with cars and pedestrians or helps to avoid it at all.

Preventing driving in the wrong direction

Driving into the oncoming lane is a nightmare for any driver, so Ford is working on technologies to avoid this.
The WrongWayAlert oncoming lane departure warning system uses the data received from the camera and the on-board navigator installed on the windshield, notifying the driver if necessary by an audible and visual signal. This system, which was first introduced in Germany, Austria and Switzerland,It is an addition to the existing function of recognizing road signs, which uses a camera mounted on the windshield to scan the surrounding area, recognize traffic signs and inform the driver about them. Using a camera and navigation system allows the WrongWayAlert system to alert drivers to stop or turn around.
Traffic jam assist technology is another innovation previously announced by Ford and should be available to customers in the next two years. This system will help the driver to keep the car within the lane, and will also be able to automatically brake and pick up the speed of the car in accordance with the speed of movement of cars traveling in the stream.
At the same time, Ford is developing an advanced head-lighting system using a front camera, which will adjust the shape of the light beam, for example, expanding it at intersections and in a circular motion, recognizing the corresponding traffic signs.