Vehicle Safety

At Ford, we design and manufacture vehicles that achieve high levels of vehicle safety for a wide range of people over a broad spectrum of real-world conditions.

In our Asia Pacific Africa region, the Ford Kuga and EcoSport have received five-star ratings in the China New Car Assessment Program (C-NCAP) testing. The Fiesta also received a five-star rating in the inaugural ASEAN NCAP. And the Kuga earned a five-star rating in the Australasian NCAP.

We have developed an array of programs and technologies that help to encourage safer behavior on the roadways for both experienced and novice drivers. For example, Ford Driving Skills for Life (DSFL), Ford’s driver education program, demonstrates our commitment to help new drivers to improve their driving skills. In our Asia Pacific Africa markets, Ford DSFL is aimed at novice drivers of all ages. In this region the program places equal emphasis on safe driving and eco-driving, as customers are interested in both. Approximately 14,000 drivers in this region were trained in 2013. In 2014, we will continue the program in mainland China, India, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as expand to Malaysia and Myanmar, to train another 15,000 people. More than 77,000 people have been trained in the Asia Pacific region since the program began.

The Ford DSFL training addresses the local driving environment and specific needs of drivers in each Asian market. In China, for example, Ford DSFL added a segment on the use of child safety seats after a new regulation went into effect there. In Indonesia, Thailand and several other Asia countries, sessions were added tailored for female drivers. In Vietnam, Ford DSFL launched a “No Honking” campaign to reduce the adverse effects on road safety of the prevalent and inappropriate use of vehicle horns. Ford DSFL also launched campaigns in India and China inviting drivers to “pledge to drive safe;” this campaign will expand into more countries in 2013. (See the Pete Hardigan voice for more about Ford DSFL in Asia Pacific Africa.)

In 2013, we also rolled out the Future of Safety Tour with an event in the Philippines to promote road safety among consumers and encouraging safe driving. In addition, we demonstrated Ford’s advanced technologies to highlight our commitment to safety.

See the Vehicle Safety and Driver Assist Technologies: Accident Avoidance and Driver Assist Technologies section for more on our vehicle safety technologies and activities.