System detects pedestrians

Ford’s all-new Mondeo Trend and Titanium models will feature the marque’s pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection to limit the severity of and, in some cases, eliminate frontal collisions involving pedestrians. The system uses radar and camera technology to scan the road ahead before providing a warning to the driver if a risk is detected. If he or she fails to respond in time, it can automatically apply the brakes. While pedestrian detection can help the driver avoid pedestrians at lower speeds, pre-collision assist may also assist them to avoid rear-end collisions with other vehicles at all speeds. The new system may be helpful in unexpected situations, but it does not replace the driver and has limitations. These include night-time, low and harsh-lighting conditions, vehicles moving in a different direction and certain weather. It processes information collected from a windshield-mounted camera and radar near the bumper. It then checks information against a database of shapes to help distinguish people from typical roadside scenery and objects. Ford engineers tested the system on test tracks using rigs fitted with mannequins to replicate pedestrians. They then spent months refining the technology on roads around the world to test system reliability. Other driver-assist technologies found on Mondeo variants include lane-keeping aid with lane-departure warning, a blind-spot information system, adaptive cruise control, City Safe for collision avoidance, and active park assist, which is a semi-automatic parallel-parking feature that includes park-out and perpendicular-park assist, as well as flank guard. The Mondeo arrives in New Zealand in April 2015. Pricing and specification details will be released closer to launch.