Ford elevated the car-sensory bar for its competitors by installing a pedestrian sensor in their Ford’s Mondeo sedan. Not only this Ford sedan beeps once a pedestrian is crossing, but further slows down to a complete auto-brake. It is forecasted, that this car will be sold in the European market by next year.
This car has a radar in the bumper and a camera on the windshield. The radar first detects an object and then leaves it to the camera, if it detects a pedestrian it will warn the driver with a light and a sound. In case the driver does not react instantly, the car will prepare to stop gradually by shortening the distance between the brakes and the brake pads. If the driver still fails to respond, the car will brake alone.
Although there is high need for such safety features, there is an other side to this coin. Sensor only operates in daylight and clear weather conditions where it is normally easier for the driver to spot a person crossing the road and avoid an accident.
Honestly, Ford Motors has put so much effort to improve the road safety experience starting from automated driving technology (including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and prevention, and automated parking) and now this pedestrian-sensor. Chapeau raised to Ford for their efforts to make the road safety a high priority.