A variety of technologies, in addition to a vehicle's basic handling and braking capabilities, can help drivers avoid accidents. These technologies are generally not necessary for attentive drivers in most road conditions, but may provide added benefits for drivers who become distracted or experience challenging road conditions.

For example, our industry-leading innovation known as Roll Stability Control™ (RSC) continues to give drivers more confidence in emergency situations. Ford and its global brands have built more than four million vehicles globally with electronic stability control systems. To date, more than one million of those vehicles feature AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control, which actively measures and helps control both yaw and roll movements. RSC uses two gyroscopic sensors to detect when a driver corners too fast or swerves sharply to avoid an obstacle. It then applies pressure to select brake(s) to help the driver maintain control and thus reduce the risk of a rollover event.

Roll Stability Control was first introduced on the 2003 Volvo XC90 and is now standard equipment on the Ford Explorer, SportTrac, Expedition, Edge and new 2008 Escape, as well as E-series Wagons equipped with the 5.4L engine. It is also standard equipment on the Mercury Mountaineer, the new 2008 Mariner, Lincoln Navigator and Lincoln MKX. Ford is developing a next-generation regenerative braking system for the 2009 Escape Hybrid and Mariner Hybrid to be compatible with RSC.

Another Ford safety innovation is the next generation of adaptive headlamps. With a unique two-part optics package, the Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFLS) is an industry breakthrough that allows drivers to see better at night around curves in the road. Most cornering, or swivel, lighting systems are one-piece modules that turn as a single unit with the vehicle as it approaches a curve. In contrast, the AFLS incorporates two independent light sources: a high-output halogen projector for the main beam and a secondary row of light-emitting diodes that illuminates almost instantaneously, distributes the light beam evenly and consumes less power than conventional lights. The system allows drivers to take corners and curves more safely, and to consume less energy while doing so. The AFLS was unveiled on a concept vehicle at the 2006 North American International Auto Show and is now available on a number of vehicles across the Ford fleet, both in North America and Europe.

Ford is also developing a suite of accident avoidance features that use forward-looking radar and vision sensors. These features can help to warn drivers of potentially dangerous situations, such as unintended lane departures, pedestrians in the roadway, or following a vehicle too closely. These technologies are being developed by a joint team in Dearborn, Michigan, and Gothenburg, Sweden. Some of these features are now available on selected Ford and Volvo vehicles.

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), for example, helps drivers maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them. It is one of the innovations available on the Volvo S80, XC70 and V70, as well as the Ford Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy. While primarily a comfort and convenience feature, Adaptive Cruise Control also contributes to more controlled driving when traffic flow is uneven. The ACC module is mounted at the front of the vehicle and uses radar to measure the gap and closing speed to the vehicle ahead. The system automatically adjusts the speed of the car to help maintain a pre-set distance from the vehicle in front. Ford was the world's first company to launch radar-based ACC, when it unveiled the technology on the Jaguar XKR several years ago.

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) with Auto Brake comes as part of the ACC package and uses radar technology to help avoid or mitigate the effects of rear-end collisions. The area in front of the car is monitored by a radar sensor. If the FCW-equipped vehicle approaches another moving vehicle from behind and the driver does not react, a bank of red LED warning indicators flashes on the windscreen and an audible warning signal is activated. FCW is designed to provide sufficient time for the driver to react and avoid the hazard. If the risk of collision increases despite the warning, Auto Brake is activated. The Auto Brake system supports driver-initiated braking by pre-charging the brakes and preparing for panic brake application.

Driver Alert Control and Lane Departure Warning are two other features recently launched on the Volvo S80, V70 and XC70. These systems are designed to combat driver fatigue, which is a traffic safety concern worldwide. The Driver Alert Control and Lane Departure Warning features use a forward-looking camera to continuously monitor the road and keep track of where the car is in relation to the lane markings. If the driver loses concentration or the vehicle's wheels move outside the lane markings, a warning chime alerts the driver. This patented method has been tested both on roads and in simulators and is unique among vehicle manufacturers.

Ford also plans to introduce a unique new system in its Volvo brand called City Safety, which will help drivers avoid the sort of low-speed collisions that are common in slow-moving urban traffic. If a driver is about to collide with the vehicle in front and does not react in time, the City Safety system will activate the brakes to slow the vehicle. City Safety is active at up to 30 km/h.

City Safety works via an optical laser system integrated behind the top of the front windscreen. It can monitor vehicles up to six meters from the front of the car. If the vehicle in front suddenly brakes and City Safety senses that a collision is imminent, it pre-charges the brakes to help the driver avoid an accident by braking or letting the driver steer away from a potential collision. The City Safety feature allows driver-initiated interactions (steering or braking) to override the City Safety system. Ford will introduce City Safety on the new Volvo XC60 in Europe during the second half of 2008 and in North America in early 2009.

Forward-looking radar and vision sensors may also be used in the future to help drivers avoid collisions with pedestrians. In 2006, Ford's VIRTTEX laboratory broke new ground by using its advanced computer graphics to simulate pedestrians in the virtual world. Ford and Volvo worked together to test advanced systems that help alert drivers when a pedestrian unexpectedly crosses the road. By using "virtual pedestrians" in a VIRTTEX-simulated drive, researchers were able to test a wide variety of situations involving people and moving cars in the safety of the laboratory. Different human-machine interface warning strategies for helping the driver recognize the situation and take action were analyzed by our safety researchers. The most promising technologies are being developed for possible inclusion in future products.