BRUSSELS, Oct 10 ― At its test centre in Lommel, Belgium, Ford demonstrated its latest driverless car prototype, which is capable of parking and avoiding road hazards all on its own.
Ford tested its Fully Assisted Parking Aid, which allows the driver to park the car simply by pressing a single button, either from inside of the vehicle or from a few metres away by using a remote control.
Another smart technology demonstrated in Ford’s latest prototypes, dubbed Obstacle Avoidance, uses sensors to detect slow-moving or stopped objects ahead of the vehicle. When an obstacle is detected, the system alerts the driver and, if no action is taken, the car automatically brakes and swerves to avoid collision.
The two technologies, tested in a prototype based on the Ford Focus, are more advanced versions of systems already available in a number of Ford vehicles, such as Active Park Assist and Powershift transmission.
Some of the other innovative technologies Ford has rolled out in recent years include the SYNC voice command function, the MyKey parental control system for young drivers, and the Ford SOS post-crash alert system.
Ford is one of many car manufacturers currently researching and developing driverless concept cars. Nissan, for example, developed a fully autonomous version of its all-electric Leaf, which has even been cleared by the Japanese government as road-legal. The brand hopes to bring a driverless car to the market by 2020. Google is also making a name for itself in the driverless car field; its Google Car has already driven itself on roads in California and is legal in some other US states as well. ― AFP-Relaxnews
