Focus is four-ce to be reckoned with

FORD has set a new record when the latest Ford Focus was given four Euro NCAP advanced safety rewards as its Driver Alert and Forward Alert  systems were honoured.
The news comes a month after the company’s new Ranger became the only pickup to gain a maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. The Ranger also gained the highest score on record for pedestrian protection.
“At Ford Motor Company we are committed to providing outstanding levels of safety for vehicle occupants, and it is immensely gratifying to have received two more Euro NCAP Advanced rewards with the new Ford Focus,” said Stephen Odell, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe.
Euro NCAP Advanced rewards were brought in in 2010 to recognise car makers who utilise new safety technologies. Ford is one of only two manufacturers to hold four of these rewards and the only manufacturer to achieve this with one product.
Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP general secretary said: “As part of Euro NCAP’s mission to promote important innovations in safety, we are rewarding Ford for its Driver Alert and Forward Alert systems on the Focus, making the car the first that offers four rewarded technologies. Seeing a C-segment volume seller like Focus rewarded for various technologies clearly shows where Ford and the automobile industry is moving in Europe. Confidence is growing that driver assistance functions save lives and reduce injuries, the rewards emphasise the benefits for consumers.”
An estimated 1,300 people a year die on Europe’s roads as a result of driver fatigue. Ford’s award-winning Driver Alert system is designed to detect tired driver behaviour, using advanced camera technology and on-board sensors to evaluate vigilance levels.
Using this information, the system works out how vigilant the driver is. It sends a warning if it detects the driver needs to rest. The Driver Alert feature is available on new Focus, C-MAX, Grand C-MAX, Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy.
Ford’s Forward Alert accident warning system uses radar technology to scan the road ahead for slowing traffic. If it detects a braking, slower moving or stationary vehicle in front and it determines that a collision is likely, the system alerts the driver with an audible chime and by flashing a warning symbol in the instrument cluster. If the driver fails to brake immediately the system triggers another function, brake support.
Forward Alert is available on new Focus, Mondeo, S-MAX, and Galaxy.