All-New Ford Focus makes Euro NCAP history
With the new Focus, Ford has become the first non-premium automaker to win four Euro NCAP Advanced rewards.
The Ford Focus was recognised for Active City Stop, which monitors the road ahead and brakes automatically if a collision is imminent, and Lane Keeping Aid, which uses a forward camera to detect if a vehicle drifts out of its lane and applies a small amount of steering input to alert the driver.
The Focus has earned Euro NCAP’s maximum five-star crash safety rating, including the highest possible dynamic score for child protection in both frontal and side impact collision tests. Focus also excelled in the adult and pedestrian safety categories.
Reducing risk
Active City Stop helps reduce the risk of low speed collisions by monitoring the road in front for stationary traffic and then braking automatically if the system detects a stationary vehicle in its path and a collision is imminent. At speeds up to 20mph, a lidar (Light Detection And Ranging) sensor positioned at the top of the windscreen scans the area up to around 7.6 metres ahead for possible obstacles. If the Focus approaches a braking, slower moving or stationary vehicle in front and it determines that a collision is likely, the brakes are pre-charged. If the driver remains inactive (no steering or braking input), the Focus applies the brakes automatically and reduces engine torque.
Lane Keeping Aid uses a camera mounted at the top of the windscreen to monitor the road ahead. The images from the camera are continuously analysed to detect lane markings, typically solid or dashed white lines that delineate the edges of a lane or carriageway. Information about the position of the car relative to the lines is then used to help the driver stay within the intended lane.
If it detects an unintentional lane departure, it applies a steering torque to alert the driver. The system has been programmed to recognise manoeuvres such as overtaking. Both Active City Stop and Lane Keeping Aid are fully automatic but can be deactivated by a switch on the indicator stalk.
High-Strength Bodyshell
Euro NCAP’s five-star safety award for new Focus confirms the structural excellence of Ford’s global C-Car platform. Ford C-MAX and Grand C-MAX share the same architecture as new Focus and were both awarded five stars by Euro NCAP last year.
Fifty-five per cent of the body shell is made of high-strength steels, of which 31 per cent is ultra-tough boron steel, more than any other Ford built to date. Boron features in the A pillars, B pillars, rocker panels and door reinforcement beams to create an extremely rigid, crush-resistant passenger cell. Meanwhile, high-strength steel is used in the integrated door opening reinforcement rings and door load paths to provide excellent protection from side impacts.
New Focus also features a patented front chassis subframe, which de-couples during severe frontal impacts, avoiding deformation in the passenger cell footwell area. Pedestrian protection has been boosted by the addition of a “soft” cowl design in the front body structure and Ford has also relocated the windscreen wiper system to help further reduce injury risks.
The Ford Focus was recognised for Active City Stop, which monitors the road ahead and brakes automatically if a collision is imminent, and Lane Keeping Aid, which uses a forward camera to detect if a vehicle drifts out of its lane and applies a small amount of steering input to alert the driver.
The Focus has earned Euro NCAP’s maximum five-star crash safety rating, including the highest possible dynamic score for child protection in both frontal and side impact collision tests. Focus also excelled in the adult and pedestrian safety categories.
Reducing risk
Active City Stop helps reduce the risk of low speed collisions by monitoring the road in front for stationary traffic and then braking automatically if the system detects a stationary vehicle in its path and a collision is imminent. At speeds up to 20mph, a lidar (Light Detection And Ranging) sensor positioned at the top of the windscreen scans the area up to around 7.6 metres ahead for possible obstacles. If the Focus approaches a braking, slower moving or stationary vehicle in front and it determines that a collision is likely, the brakes are pre-charged. If the driver remains inactive (no steering or braking input), the Focus applies the brakes automatically and reduces engine torque.
Lane Keeping Aid uses a camera mounted at the top of the windscreen to monitor the road ahead. The images from the camera are continuously analysed to detect lane markings, typically solid or dashed white lines that delineate the edges of a lane or carriageway. Information about the position of the car relative to the lines is then used to help the driver stay within the intended lane.
If it detects an unintentional lane departure, it applies a steering torque to alert the driver. The system has been programmed to recognise manoeuvres such as overtaking. Both Active City Stop and Lane Keeping Aid are fully automatic but can be deactivated by a switch on the indicator stalk.
High-Strength Bodyshell
Euro NCAP’s five-star safety award for new Focus confirms the structural excellence of Ford’s global C-Car platform. Ford C-MAX and Grand C-MAX share the same architecture as new Focus and were both awarded five stars by Euro NCAP last year.
Fifty-five per cent of the body shell is made of high-strength steels, of which 31 per cent is ultra-tough boron steel, more than any other Ford built to date. Boron features in the A pillars, B pillars, rocker panels and door reinforcement beams to create an extremely rigid, crush-resistant passenger cell. Meanwhile, high-strength steel is used in the integrated door opening reinforcement rings and door load paths to provide excellent protection from side impacts.
New Focus also features a patented front chassis subframe, which de-couples during severe frontal impacts, avoiding deformation in the passenger cell footwell area. Pedestrian protection has been boosted by the addition of a “soft” cowl design in the front body structure and Ford has also relocated the windscreen wiper system to help further reduce injury risks.
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