Ford vehicles come with a range of standard driver assistance features, and one that you’ll see often is Ford Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking. This feature can be invaluable when it activates, so let’s get to know it a little better.
What Does Ford Pre-Collision Assist Do?
Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking acts like a co-pilot. It keeps an eye on the road whenever possible, including at night, when your car’s lights illuminate the area in front of you. The feature can detect both vehicles and pedestrians ahead, both stationary and moving. If there’s an object in front of you that you’re in danger of colliding with, then it sends you multiple warnings to get you to take action and slow down or stop.
When the system is trying to tell you that you may be in danger, it’ll make a chiming noise and display a message on the information display telling you what’s wrong. If you don’t do anything to remedy the situation, then the system gets the brakes charged up in preparation. This makes your brakes more responsive when you step on the pedal.
What Does Automatic Emergency Braking Do?
If Pre-Collision Assist has sent you warnings and prepared itself for an emergency stop, then that’s exactly what’s going to happen. The car, if necessary, will apply full braking force by itself to try to prevent a crash. If you crash anyway, the braking may at least make the damage less severe.
If the automatic braking function doesn’t engage, but the brakes have already charged in response to a collision alert, then even light pressure on the brake pedal will engage the brakes fully.
How Sensitive Is Pre-Collision Assist?
You can choose between low, normal, and high sensitivity settings using your infotainment system. The lower the setting, the fewer alerts you’ll get. Lower settings give you a little more time in potentially dangerous situations before the car starts warning you about a potential crash. If you don’t like the feature working even on the lowest setting, though, then you can turn it off completely.
Which Sensitivity Setting Is Best?
Ford recommends using the high sensitivity setting, as it’s the one that can help keep you safest. However, if Pre-Collision Assist activates too frequently and distracts you, then the setting that’s functional without being distracting is likely the best setting for you to choose. The setting you pick won’t impact Automatic Emergency Braking’s support, though. It always provides full braking support when activated, bringing you to a total stop as quickly as possible.
Come get a Ford with this excellent driver assistance feature at Coughlin Ford of Pataskala in Pataskala, OH. Call our sales team at 380-227-5024 if you have any questions.
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