The 2017 Ford Fusion V6 Sport Can Detect and Protect Against Potholes
Ford is fighting back against poorly maintained roads.
The new Fusion V6 Sport model will be the first Ford fitted with a pothole assist system that is said to protect the vehicle from damage. Using 12 high-resolution sensors, the Fusion is constantly scanning the road ahead and can adjust the car’s dampers in milliseconds to adapt to varying conditions.
If the edge of a pothole is detected, the system will switch the dampers to the stiffest setting so that the wheel doesn’t fall as far into the pothole according to Ford. This will help to prevent damage on impact.
SEE ALSO: 2017 Ford Fusion Gets New Look, Gains 325 HP Sport Model
“We tested and tuned this system by driving over countless potholes – subjecting Fusion V6 Sport to the brutal, square-edged potholes of our Romeo Proving Grounds to finesse the software,” said Michener. “It was long hours of not very pleasant work, but the results are well worth it.”
The Fusion V6 Sport’s damper stiffness can also be changed manually from normal mode to sport mode to help cornering. Power for the car comes from a 2.7-liter turbocharged V6 making 325 horsepower.
The Ford Fusion V6 Sport will begin arriving at dealers this summer.
Discuss this story at our Ford Fusion Forum
Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
More by Stephen Elmer
Comments
Join the conversation
This is much better and more useful technology than so many of the latest safety advances. Well done.
Very interesting idea. Hopefully it can prevent rim damage, which can be expensive to rectify.