There are countless occasions every day in which drivers have to back out into high-traffic areas or turn around blind corners. These scenarios pose a high risk of collisions, and even though rearview cameras are quickly becoming the norm, it can be a gamble that is hard to avoid. This will soon cease to be the case, however. Next-generation camera technology that eliminates these risky blind spots has already been implemented in some models and will soon be available in nearly every global Ford vehicle.
Split-view cameras that can be mounted in both the front and rear of a Ford vehicle will offer a 180-degree field of view via 1-megapixel wide-angle lenses. In addition to providing cross-traffic warnings, these cameras will also play a key part in the Dynamic Hitch Assist and Pro Trailer Backup Assist systems that will be present in the 2016 F-150.
Ford Motor Company intends to make rear-view cameras standard across its entire North American model lineup by 2018. In addition, front-view cameras are to become an available feature on most of its vehicles by 2020. The new split view cameras will be available on every new Ford SUV by 2020 as well, and they are already available on the 2015 Edge and the new 2016 Explorer. This is the most advanced camera technology yet from Ford, and it is quickly making Ford an industry leader in the area.
These cameras and the driver assist systems they augment address a new trend among younger drivers that has emerged in recent years: 88 percent named other drivers as their biggest fear, winning out over those who fear death, spiders, public speaking or snakes. This is exactly what Ford hopes to address with its new advanced camera technology. To see just how successful these new on-board cameras are at minimizing the risks of cross traffic and blind spots, test drive a new Ford Edge or Ford Explorer today at Randall Reed’s Planet Ford in Humble, TX!
