The technology packed into the all-new Ford Focus put the UK favourite into pole position for a “Techie” award from leading industry magazine and website BusinessCar.
Ford’s Driver Assist pack, comprising six high-tech features, debuted at the launch of the Focus this year. Priced at £750 – or 68p per day over three years – the pack was judged by BusinessCar to be an impressive innovation worthy of victory.
“It’s a big tick next to the box marked duty of care,” said BusinessCar editor Paul Barker. “The most useful feature is its low speed safety system, which prevents or mitigates accidents in urban areas. For such a range of technologies brought together as one option, a price well into four figures would be expected.”
As well as the Driver Assist low speed safety feature, the pack’s forward facing radars also control a lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition which reads and displays the last speed sign passed, an alert which sounds if driver behaviour suggests drowsiness and auto switching of headlamp high beam. Radar technology behind the car’s side panels enable automatic monitoring of any obstacles in the driver’s blind spot.
Kevin Griffin, Ford Britain fleet director, said: “Ford’s Driver Assist pack is an option which enables companies to prioritise further the safety of their employees while also minimising running costs.
“Just as parking sensors limit repairs, the technology behind this new pack will do the same for new Ford Focus drivers in a wider variety of situations on the road.”
Ford innovation commended
In their never-ending quest to reduce weight and therefore emissions and fuel use, Ford’s engineers took inspiration from the Aero chocolate bar to produce lighter plastic parts by injecting gas bubbles during manufacturing. Their efforts were highly commended by BusinessCar’s “Techie” awards.
There are many areas where weight can be saved by changing the type or grade of metal used to a stronger, lighter material to trim kilos from the kerb weight. Plastic parts are traditionally difficult to reduce in weight without sacrificing strength, durability or function. Ford’s MuCell technology introduces gas bubbles into the plastic as it is moulded, leaving a microscopic honeycomb structure. These tiny spaces save weight by reducing the amount of plastic used, without compromising the integrity of the part.
