2010 FORD TAURUS EARNS IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK; OFFERS SUITE OF STANDARD SAFETY TECHNOLOGY
SUMMARY: -
The
all-new 2010 Ford Taurus, with its advanced crash safety structure and
a suite of standard restraint and air bag technologies, has earned a
Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
(IIHS) based on its performance in testing - Taurus
offers an array of driver aid and safety features, including a
radar-enabled advanced collision warning system, Cross Traffic Alert
that that warns drivers of hard-to-see parking lot traffic and the MyKeyTM safety system that provides parents with peace of mind
- The 2010 Taurus introduces the latest version of Ford SYNC®
with Traffic, Directions & Information; studies show in-vehicle
voice-activated communications systems such as SYNC help drivers keep
their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel
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CONTEXT / BACKGROUND: The
new 2010 Taurus builds on Ford Motor Company's safety leadership by
adding to its leading number of IIHS Top Safety Pick ratings. The new
Taurus not only features side air bags that are designed to deploy up
to 30 percent earlier than traditional air bag systems, it also
pioneers the mainstream introduction of active crash-avoidance features
such as a segment-first, radar-based forward collision warning system
that helps drivers avoid accidents. |
QUOTES: "The
new Taurus is Ford's safety flagship with a Top Safety Pick,
crash-protection and crash-avoidance features that you may not find in
luxury vehicles that cost twice as much."
- Sue Cischke,
Ford Group vice president of Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering
"A
stiffer body structure and new crash-avoidance technologies make the
Taurus - already named the safest full-size sedan - even safer."
- Pete Reyes,
Chief engineer, Ford Taurus
"The
new Taurus builds on the 2009 model's tremendous safety record by
adding even more state-of-the-art crash-avoidance and crash-protection
technologies. You would be hard pressed to find a better-equipped
driver aid and safety package in a full-size sedan."
- Steve Kozak,
Chief engineer, Ford Safety Systems
DETAILS:
Safety leadership grows
The new 2010 Taurus earned a Top Safety Pick based in part on a
comprehensive package of crash-protection features, including
dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, side-impact air bags
and Safety Canopy® - a Ford exclusive protection system
featuring side curtain air bags that help protect front and rear
outboard passengers in both rollover and side-impact crashes.
The new Taurus' state-of-the-art side air bag systems use pressure pulses from a side impact
and are designed to deploy up to 30 percent earlier than a traditional
air bag system that uses acceleration-based sensors. Pressure-based
sensors help predict crash forces before the full impact occurs and
more accurately measure crash severity to better differentiate between
a potentially dangerous air bag-deployable crash and common, relatively
harmless daily abuse that would not require air bag protection.
Other key safety features include:
- Side Protection And Cabin Enhancement (SPACE®) Architecture is
comprised of a hydroformed cross-car beam embedded in the floor between
the door frames, providing additional strength in the side of the
vehicle. In the event of a side impact, the beam helps divert crash
forces away from the occupants. A strong roof crossmember and
side-impact door beams work with the floor-mounted tube to further
enhance side-impact protection. Ultra-high-strength boron steel has
been added to the B-pillar as well.
- Trinity Front Crash Architecture is
a body structure optimized for strength and stiffness. The
energy-absorbing structure features octagonal front frame rails, engine
cradle/front subframe and "shotgun" front structural members designed
to absorb and redirect crash forces away from the passenger compartment.
- Personal Safety System?
is designed to help reduce the risk of injury to the driver and front
seat passenger in the event of a moderate to severe frontal collision.
Sensors note right front occupant weight, safety belt usage, outboard
seat belt tension and seating position to optimize air bag deployment
force for occupant safety.
- AdvanceTrac® electronic
stability control constantly monitors road conditions and the driver's
responses, using sensors to detect and measure oversteer and yaw, while
continuously monitoring vehicle speed, throttle position and steering
wheel angle. When the system senses a loss of wheel traction, engine
torque is reduced and braking is applied in conjunction with the
standard Anti-Lock Braking (ABS). The system also incorporates
traction control to aid drivers when operating the vehicle on loose or
slippery surfaces.
- SOS Post-Crash Alert System? is
an integrated technology that automatically unlocks the doors and
activates the emergency flashers in the event of air bag deployment.
More driver-aid and safety technologies
Tech-savvy
customers will find plenty to like about the new 2010 Taurus. Its
technologies enable customer connectivity, while fulfilling desires for
personalization, customization and control. This list of driver-aid
and safety features isn't just technology for the sake of technology.
These offerings have been selected and developed to provide the
ultimate in comfort and convenience for the driver and all passengers:
- Adaptive Cruise Control
allows the driver to set the vehicle cruising speed while using radar
technology to monitor traffic traveling up to 600 feet ahead,
automatically adjusting Taurus speed to help maintain a safe distance
between vehicles.
- Collision Warning with Brake Support
is a new active feature, enabled by Adaptive Cruise Control. This
system uses a radar sensor to detect moving vehicles ahead and provides
a visual "heads-up" warning signal transmitted across the base of the
windshield and an audible warning when slower-moving traffic is
detected ahead. The system also pre-charges the brakes and engages
electronic brake assist to help the driver stop more quickly.
- SecuriCode? Keyless Entry Keypad
enables vehicle access by unlocking the driver's door using a
five-digit code on the new keypad system flush-mounted in the driver's
side B-pillar.
- MyKey? allows parents
or fleet administrators to activate a restricted driving mode. When
enabled, MyKey features a Persistent Belt-Minder® with Audio Mute until safety belts are buckled, an earlier low-fuel warning and engaged AdvanceTrac®
stability control, Blind Spot monitoring, Cross Traffic Alert and
Forward Collision Warning. Additional programmability includes
restrictions on audio volume, limiting top speed to 80 mph and speed
chime warnings at 45, 55 or 65 mph.
- Auto High Beams/Rain-Sensing Wipers
harness sensor technologies to switch headlights to high intensity when
no other vehicles are detected, in a range of up to 500 feet for
taillight detection and up to 2,000 feet for oncoming headlight
detection. Rain-sensing wipers use an advanced optical sensor to
detect the intensity of rain and/or snowfall to adjust wiper speed.
- Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®)
consists of two multiple beam radar modules, one each per rear quarter
panel. When the sensors detect an approaching vehicle entering the
defined blind spot zone, an indicator alert provides warning to the
driver in the corresponding side-view mirror.
- Cross Traffic Alert
uses the existing BLIS radar modules to sense oncoming traffic when
slowly backing out of a parking spot. This industry-exclusive system
functions only while the vehicle is in reverse and warns when
cross-traffic is detected within three car widths.
- Ford SYNC®
is the fully integrated, in-vehicle voice-activated communications and
entertainment system, with 911 Assist?, Vehicle Health Report and
GPS-based features including business search and call completion. SYNC
connects to MP3 players, iPods, memory sticks and PDAs. SYNC's 911
Assist will place a call to a local emergency operator in the event of
air bag deployment when a cell phone is properly paired, turned on and
connected to SYNC, and the vehicle has battery power. The latest
version of SYNC adds Traffic, Directions & Information, providing
turn-by-turn route guidance and the ability to access content by
personalized favorites such as region, subject matter or sports team.
- Voice-Activated Navigation System with SIRIUS® Travel Link?
uses an eight-inch screen to present a bird's-eye-view map with 3D
landmarks. The system responds to voice commands for destination
programming and route selection. In addition, it provides enhanced
route guidance features such as street name announcements and detailed
freeway exit, turn and ramp position lane guidance. The screen can be
personalized with up to 32 pictures, sized up to 1.5 MB each. The
system also incorporates the SIRIUS Travel Link, offering availability
of current weather and ski conditions, a five-day forecast, local fuel
pricing by cost per gallon and brand, sports scores and movie listings.
source: http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-2010-ford-taurus-earns-iihs-top-30779