Vienna (ots) – Transporters like the versatile Ford Transit Custom are an integral part of the cityscape: they shoulder a large part of the ever-increasing parcel deliveries. But especially now in the run-up to Christmas, dense shopping traffic and often confusing parking situations pose immense challenges for courier drivers with up to 200 stops per shift.
- New exit warning detects approaching cyclists, motorcycles or e-scooters on the driver and passenger sides
- In the Ford Tourneo Custom, the new technology also secures exit through the sliding side doors
- “Dooring” accidents cause numerous injuries and even deaths of cyclists every year
One of the biggest dangers: the so-called “dooring” accidents. They happen when drivers open the doors of their vehicles while bicycles, scooters or motorcycles approach from behind. With the innovative exit warning, Ford now wants to reduce the risk of “dooring” accidents and make road traffic safer for cyclists and drivers alike.
The system is now available for the new Ford Transit Custom, which was recently selected by a jury of experts International Van of the Year 2024 chose, available. Radar and other sensors detect when opening the door could lead to a collision with other road users. In this case, LED indicators in the exterior mirrors and a warning signal in the instrument cluster warn before the door is opened, as the following video shows: https://youtu.be/an7CQXdilLw.
“Vans form the backbone of inner-city delivery traffic,” emphasizes Hans Schep, Managing Director of Ford Pro Europe. “We know how strenuous and demanding it is for delivery drivers to deliver hundreds of packages in tight time windows every day – especially now in the run-up to Christmas. With the option to equip the new Transit Custom with exit warning, we want the roads for drivers of Ford Pro delivery vans and make all other road users a little safer.”
The exit warning works on the driver and passenger sides. This means that not only cyclists on the side of the road are better protected, but also people on footpaths and cycle paths on the other side of the vehicle. To avoid false alarms, the system is only activated when other road users exceed a speed of 7 km/h. In the new Ford Tourneo Custom, the system also warns passengers exiting through the side sliding doors.
The next vehicle Ford will equip is the battery-electric crossover model Explorer with the exit warning system, and other Ford models will follow. The independent testing organization Euro NCAP classifies systems such as Ford’s exit warning system as plus points when assessing vehicle safety.
You can find extensive, high-resolution images for this press release in our Media Center media.ford.com.
Questions & Contact:
Ing. Christian Wotypka
Ford Motor Company (Austria) GmbH
+43 (0)5 06581-300
cwotypka@ford.com