Dreaming of a safer tomorrow? Go further. When I think of the future, the safety of my family and loved ones comes to mind. There are things we can control and those that we can’t. I certainly have control of my driving habits.
I did not know what lay ahead beyond the sign at the door to Ford’s “Caring for tomorrow” campaign . I had told my friends that Ford Philippines was launching the “Caring for Tomorrow” campaign to promote public awareness and safe driving habits, and to invite drivers to pledge to drive safely for their loved ones. Together with Arpee , Wenchie, Rhadem , Kaye, Aleja , Sofie, and Jay , we got to experience the premium advanced features and technologies that Ford is making available across its model range.
The experience was quite an eye-opener for me and my friends. Though, I have test driven the Ford models in the past, this was the first time I saw an overview of all the safety features in various Ford models. Let me show you.
Rhadem, Wenchie and Sofie wore Third Age suits and felt the stiffness of arthritis and poor vision. It’s great FORD considered the comfort of third age passengers like our grandparents. “Third Age is now considered by many to be the “golden years” of adulthood. It is generally defined as the span of time between retirement and the beginning of age-imposed physical, emotional, and cognitive limitations, and today would roughly fall between the ages of 65 and 80+. ” They need special care inside the automobile.
The men wore empathy suits to feel what it is like to be eight months pregnant. I know how that felt during my eight month of pregnancy. There was not enough room between the steering wheel and my huge belly. You can see that there is comfortable space. Just check the photo below.
My friends at the backseat were seated comfortably with enough leg room for stiff legs.
Getting out of the car is also easy because of the booster pads on the seat.
I love the idea that Ford even thought of our pets. After all, pets are family members too. Look at the safety seatbelt demonstrated in this stuffed dog.
See how the safety engineers are dressed up as Third age users.
For the Ford Explorer, the main goal of the the inflatable seat belt is for rear-seat occupants. “The advanced restraint system is designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear-seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries.”
A game show tested our knowledge on safety practices.
For instance, what would you do if you are sleepy after a night out with friends? I would take coffee and try to nap a bit before driving. Ford has an answer to sleepy-heads. The Ford’s Driver Alert (in the new 2.0L Ford Focus Sport+ ) uses advanced technology and sophisticated algorithms to analyse driver performance and issues a warning if the driver shows signs of drowsiness or erratic steering.
Ford’s MyKey is designed to help parents encourage safe teen driving habits . The easily programmable key limits a vehicle’s top speed, limit radio volume and encourage safety-belt usage by muting the radio until front occupants buckle up. Isn’t that cool? Any parent would want this “guardian angel” feature.
Another safety feature is the hands-free, voice-activated in-car technology using the Ford SYNC, an integrated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system that allows the driver to make hands-free telephone calls, control music and perform other functions with the use of voice commands, radio controls and even the car’s steering wheel.
One of my favorite feature is the the Ford Focus Active Park Assist. I have never mastered the art of parallel parking and I was excited to show Wenchie who had similar difficulty . With just one click of a button, the Focus will actively search for available parking spots and sensors around the car will steer it into the parking spot perfectly. The driver still has full control of the accelerator and brake, but the car does all the heavy hand-eye coordination. The wheels actually pivot the car into place. This is a priceless stress-reliever.
Watch this video taken by Arpee while Jay tested out the Active Park Assist. You will be enthralled.
The Active City Stop low-speed collision avoidance technology is another safety feature to help prevent collisions at speeds up to 10mph, and help reduce the severity of impacts at speeds below 20mph.
Let me point out that most of these safety features are available in the top of the line model of the Ford Focus. No wonder the price is 1.2 million pesos.
By the end of the tour, my friends and I were so overwhelmed with the innovative safety features that used to be available only in high-end European cars. The culminating activity was signing a pledge to drive safely because we care enough for the future of our loved ones.
I scribbled: I care for the future of everyone. I pledge to drive safe.
You may also want to read Arpee Lazaro’s article on Ford Focus: A New Level Of Safety.
