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Wednesday, 31 December, 2008 5:09 PM
Ford's New 'Active Park
Assist' Makes Parallel Parking a Breeze for Lincoln MKT and MKS
Owners
Available
in mid-2009 on Lincoln MKS sedan and all-new Lincoln MKT crossover
PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The
2009 Lincoln MKT as it was displayed at the NAIAS last January.
DEARBORN,
Mich. -- New Active Park
Assist helps drivers parallel park with the touch of a button and
without ever touching the steering wheel
The often stressful and frustrating task of parallel parking soon
will
be as easy as pressing a button for owners of the Lincoln MKS flagship
sedan and all-new Lincoln MKT seven-passenger luxury crossover,
thanks
to an exclusive new technology from Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)
called
Active Park Assist.
Available
in mid-2009 as an option on the 2010 Lincoln MKS sedan and new
Lincoln MKT crossover, Active Park Assist uses an ultrasonic-based
sensing system and Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) to position
the vehicle for parallel parking, calculate the optimal steering
angle
and quickly steer the vehicle into a parking spot.
"With
the touch of a button, Lincoln MKS and MKT drivers can parallel
park quickly, easily and safely without ever touching the steering
wheel," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of
Global
Product Development. "This is another example of exclusive
Ford smart
technology, such as Ford SYNC, that makes the driving experience
easier
and more enjoyable for our customers."
Active Park
Assist system uses sensors on the front and rear of the
vehicle to guide the vehicle into a parking space. The technology
is a
major leap forward in speed and ease of use compared with the
camera-reliant systems offered by competitors, including a video
camera-based system offered by Lexus. Ford's system requires less
driver interface and reduces the risk of selecting a parking spot
that
is too tight. Ford's Active Park Assist also works in downhill parking
situations, unlike competing systems.
Here's how
Active Park Assist works:
-- The driver
activates the system by pressing an instrument panel
button, which activates the ultrasonic sensors to measure and identify
a
feasible parallel parking space.
-- The system
then prompts the driver to accept the system assistance to
park.
-- The steering
system then takes over and steers the car into the
parking space hands-free. The driver still shifts the transmission
and
operates the gas and brake pedals.
-- A visual
and/or audible driver interface advises the driver about the
proximity of other cars, objects and people and provides instructions.
-- While
the steering is all done automatically, the driver remains
responsible for safe parking and can interrupt the system by grasping
the steering wheel.
Active Park
Assist is enabled by Ford's advanced EPAS technology. In
addition to helping with parallel parking, EPAS improves fuel economy
up
to 5 percent, while reducing CO2 emissions and enhancing steering
performance compared with traditional hydraulic powered-assisted
steering systems. EPAS saves fuel primarily because the steering
system
is powered by an electric motor connected to vehicle's battery,
as
opposed to engine-mounted hydraulic pump steering systems.
By 2012,
Ford plans to fit nearly 90 percent of the Ford, Lincoln and
Mercury lineup with EPAS.
"As
we use advanced technology like Electric Power Assisted Steering
to
improve the fuel efficiency across our vehicle lineup, we have the
opportunity to introduce new comfort and convenience innovations
like
Active Parking Assist," said Ali Jammoul, Ford's chief engineer
for
chassis engineering and steering systems. "This is technology
not for
the sake of technology, but technology designed to meet the needs
and
wants of customers."
As Ford
introduces EPAS in more vehicles, it will be able to offer
Active Parking Assist in more models. In addition, Ford is working
on
using EPAS and other sensors for other smart technologies, including
one
that could prevent a vehicle from drifting out of lane on the highway.
Active Park Assist works in tandem with other new technologies that
will
be offered on the 2010 MKS and MKT and other Ford Motor Company
vehicles, including Blind Spot Information System (BLIS(TM)) and
Cross
Traffic Alert. BLIS employs a sensor on the outboard rear quarter
panel
that monitors the traditional blind spot area, and can notify the
driver
with a warning indicator light in the corresponding side view mirror
if
the sensors in this optional system detect a vehicle in the blind
spot.
Cross Traffic Alert uses BLIS sensors to help detect cross traffic
when
backing out of a parking space.
More details
about the new Lincoln MKT seven-passenger luxury crossover
will be available when it debuts at the 2009 North American
International Auto Show in Detroit in January.
The Lincoln
MKS sedan -- which went on sale this summer with strong
initial sales that have helped Lincoln gain share in the luxury
segment
in the second half of this year -- raises the bar on exclusive
technologies offered in a luxury car.
The Lincoln
MKS features:
-- Adaptive
Cruise Control, which allows the driver to set and maintain
the vehicle's speed, while a radar monitors traffic ahead. This
optional system automatically adjusts speed and slows the vehicle
to
maintain the set distance behind traffic ahead.
-- Intelligent
Access with Push Button Start, which allows the driver to
enter the Lincoln MKS and start the engine without using the key.
Drivers simply carry the special fob as they approach the vehicle,
touch
the keyless entry keypad on the B-pillar, open the door and, with
the
brake pedal engaged, start the engine by pushing a button.
-- SecuriCode(TM)
Keyless Entry Keypad, which is the next generation of
a feature familiar to many Lincoln owners. It allows access to Lincoln
MKS by unlocking the driver's door by entering a pre-set five-digit
code. The newest version is now flush-mounted to the B-pillar with
backlit numerals that illuminate to the touch.
-- Adaptive
Headlamps with Standard High-Intensity Discharge (HID)
Lamps, which enhance nighttime visibility by illuminating more of
the
road ahead. Sensors monitor the vehicle's speed and steering wheel
input
to engage headlamp movement and increase the driver's field of vision.
-- Rain-Sensing
Wipers, which use an optical sensing system to gauge
precipitation and automatically activate and adjust the wipers.
The
Lincoln MKS driver can choose among five sensitivity settings.
-- EasyFuel(TM)
Capless Fuel-Filler System, which provides a hassle-free
and more consistent seal than a manual fuel cap. EasyFuel self seals
when refueling is complete.
-- SYNC,
which is standard on the Lincoln MKS. This award-winning voice
activated communications and entertainment system developed by Ford
and
Microsoft fully integrates Bluetooth(R)-enabled mobile phones and
digital media players into the vehicle. SYNC incorporates 911 Assist,
which can notify a local 911 emergency operator in the event of
an air
bag-deploying incident. SYNC Vehicle Health Report feature can keep
the
driver notified of scheduled maintenance, service intervals and
vehicle
system health information.
Source: Ford Motor
Company
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