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SPECIAL

Ford Territory

SPECIAL

Ford Territory

Researchers Apply Cutting-Edge Science Technology to Safety

Staff, Thursday September 13, 2001.

Page 1 of 1

Ford is committed to bringing safety-driven technologies to mass market vehicles as soon as possible. These technologies provide a glimpse of what customers can expect in safety features of their Ford vehicles of tomorrow.

A summary of the key technologies is outlined below. Further details and photos are available on Ford's internet site for the media, www.media.ford.com (click on 'products', then 'cleaner, safer, sooner' symbol).

VIRTTEX BRINGS SCIENCE TO THE DEBATE OVER DRIVER INATTENTION
Just launched by Ford in Detroit is a new high-tech $10 million simulator designed to gather information about one of the most talked about issues today and for the future – the use of mobile phones, navigation systems, internet connection and other electronic devices in cars and trucks. Most current telematics were developed without benefit of driver data related to distraction and performance. The new simulator, called VIRTTEX, will change that, delivering data that can be used to make safer and sounder choices with new emerging communications in our vehicles. Developed over six months, VIRTTEX is designed to register a driver's eye, hand and foot reactions as they juggle tasks while driving. It consists of a 24-foot diameter dome constructed of lightweight carbon fiber that tilts 20 degrees in any direction to give drivers a real road feel and researchers unique ability to study issues surrounding driver focus. Initial data is expected to become available towards the end of the year and will contribute to the formation of a first-ever set of industry standards guiding telematics development in vehicles of the future.

CAMCAR TECHNOLOGY ELIMINATES BLIND SPOTS
Nearly all lane-change collisions result from a driver's lack of awareness. They simply don't see the other vehicle. Thus the ideal vehicle would offer its driver complete visibility in all directions. Ford's CamCar technology uses strategically aimed tiny cameras and sophisticated computer processing to explore ways to expand a driver's visibility picture. The instrument panel of CamCar, located directly in front of the driver, houses three video displays – a central unit with an additional panel on either side. Two forward-facing pencil-size video cameras are mounted on the sides of the vehicle letting drivers see around the vehicle in front of them, thus helping avoid potential problems with other cars or pedestrians ahead. The rear view is provided through a further two rear-facing side cameras and four cameras at the back of the vehicle. Images of the rear view are fed to a sophisticated computer program that compares and overlaps them, then combines the result into a single, seamless panoramic view, far wider than the typical rearview mirror. This helps to eliminate blind spots, allows for safer lane changes, easier parking, and possibly contributes to safer driving in heavy traffic. Additionally, researchers are examining ways to apply innovative low-light technology to all the video cameras to improve night driving and parking and eliminate potential flare from headlamps and other bright light sources. The video cameras could also form the basis of a comprehensive collision avoidance system, measuring distances and motion to plot interception angles.

ACTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS HELP PREVENT IMPENDING ACCIDENTS
Development of sensors to help vehicles analyse situations and potentially avert accidents and mitigate injuries is one of the new frontiers of safety. Ford is calling on all its global expertise through associated companies such as Volvo and Mazda to attack this crucial new safety challenge. Latest advances are designed to draw a driver's attention to potential dangers – even those they may not be able to see with the unaided eye. The technology in Volvo's EyeCar concept vehicle locates the eyes of each driver and positions the driver at the optimum position for best visibility, regardless of the driver's height. Structural changes in the EyeCar, such as a relocated B-pillar help to eliminate the "blind spot" while providing added crash resistance. Forward-looking and rear-facing side cameras plus panoramic rear cameras featured in Ford's CamCar technology (see story above) also help reduce accidents by improving visibility in all directions. Forward-looking laser radar in the Mazda SensorCar detects pedestrians in the vehicle's path, even at night, alerting the driver to take appropriate action. Rear-facing sensors detect possible rear-end collisions before they happen and tighten occupants safety belts to help minimize injuries.

RESCUECAR ALLOWS QUICKER TREATMENT OF ACCIDENT VICTIMS
Vehicle accident survival rates are directly linked to speed and accuracy of the victim's medical care. Reducing medical response time would translate into saving thousands of lives worldwide each year. It also reduces the severity of survivors' injuries, shortening their recovery time and decreasing medical costs. New technology being developed by Ford, called RescueCar, is designed to speed up recovery time. It summons help for crash victims within seconds of impact via satellite navigation technology and guides rescuers to the vehicle's precise location. At the same time, data from a host of sensors in the car seats, safety belts and air bags is compiled on an on-board microprocessor and transmitted to emergency authorities via a cellular phone network to provide precise details of the accident and to aid rescue planning. In addition, a tiny interior camera sends a picture of the cabin to provide further information on the accident's seriousness. In the longer-term, data collected by RescueCar would help researchers refine medical treatment for accident victims as well as provide real-world information to automakers to assist in the design of even safer vehicles.

EXTERNAL AIRBAGS REDUCE THE RISK TO PEDESTRIANS
Most safety technology to date has been applied to protect those inside the vehicle. A next step in vehicle safety could be applying this life-saving research to people outside the vehicle. While pedestrian sensing and warning technologies of the future are designed to prevent accidents, parallel research is aimed at helping reduce injuries when an impact is unavoidable. One goal is making the vehicle less likely to cause injury to others. Several approaches to this technology are illustrated on the Pedestrian Safety Car, a modified Ford Explorer 4WD vehicle. Ford's Pedestrian Safety concept features two innovative airbags designed to protect pedestrians during an impact. An over-the-hood airbag is coupled with cowl air bags to reduce the most common pedestrian injuries. The over-the-hood airbag deploys above the bumper to cover the front of the vehicle and most of the hood. It is triggered by a pre-impact sensor located in the front grille area that detects the presence of a pedestrian in the vehicle's path, and determines whether a collision is unavoidable. The two cowl airbags deploy from the base of windshield and are triggered by an impact sensor at the front of the vehicle. These two airbags together cover the cowl base of the windshield from A-pillar to A-pillar.

FURTHER ADVANCES IN SEAT BELT TECHNOLOGY The single most important piece of safety technology in a car or truck today remains the seat belt and Ford Motor Company continues to improve belts for the future. Latest research is looking at two new potential options for four-point safety belts – a criss-cross style that adds a second shoulder belt to the familiar three-point belt system, and a new "belt and suspenders" design that buckles at the center of the waist. To address comfort issues and to ensure that safety belts provide optimum protection for wearers of all sizes and body shapes, Ford has developed a computer program that test-fits safety belts to electronically generated occupants. A new generation of crash test dummies also is adding to the development of future safety belts, measuring crash forces exerted on more areas of the torso compared with previous generation dummies. A four-point belt design should help reduce crash loads on any given part of the chest because the additional belt material helps to spread forces over the largest total surface area. Four-point safety belts also have the potential to better control occupant position in many types of impacts. This has been shown in motorsports and auto racing where harness-style belts have contributed to driver safety in varied conditions. By controlling occupant position in relation to other safety components such as air bags and air curtains, Ford is working to provide an integrated solution to optimum vehicle safety.

SECURECAR HEARTBEAT SENSORS HELPS TO AVERT POTENTIAL TRAGEDIES
Young children are the most vulnerable occupants of any vehicle and can even be at risk when the vehicle isn't moving. Too often, children have been unintentionally left in the passenger compartment or have accidently locked themselves in a car boot, with tragic results. Technology in Ford's SecureCar addresses these situations while bringing additional peace of mind to drivers in situations where an intruder may be hiding in a vehicle. The SecureCar technology uses an electronic micro-accelerometer, a small microprocessor and sophisticated software to detect the minute vibrations of a heartbeat anywhere within the vehicle. The system is activated by a button on the key fob and sounds an alarm if anyone is detected in the car. The alarm would also ring if a dog or cat were left inside since their heartbeats are sufficiently similar to people. The vehicle also contains two additional systems designed to aid an individual trapped in the boot. A carbon dioxide (CO2) sensor scans the boot for signs of trapped occupants and a touch-sensitive pad inside the boot can open the lid if it touches any part of a living being.

For further information contact:
Ford Australia Communications
Phone: 03-9359 8491

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