2003 Ford E-150 Van Used White on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2016 Ford Police Interceptor Utility is ready to tackle Chicago's mean streets

As is the way of things, when a civilian vehicle gets a significant update, it's only a matter of time before its police counterpart gets similar upgrades. In the case of the Ford Police Interceptor Utility, it's debuting with the same visual updates as the Explorer on which it's based, at this week's 2015 Chicago Auto Show. Like the civilian-market Explorer, the PI Utility is available with a standard 3.7-liter V6 that pumps out 304 horsepower and 279 pound-feet of torque. The higher-caliber option is the tried and true 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, complete with 365 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. The standard Explorer's optional 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, meanwhile, won't be offered to the boys in blue. Regardless of engine, the Utility enjoys standard all-wheel-drive, as well as a six-speed automatic transmission. The tranny's default setting is primarily for fuel sipping, although if it detects more aggressive inputs – based on brake line pressure, deceleration and lateral acceleration rates – it switches over to Pursuit Mode, offering officers snappier upshifts and more aggressive downshifts. The PI Utility's other cool, new system is called Surveillance Mode. To protect officers from sneak attacks, Surveillance Mode warns them when someone approaches the rear the car, raising all four windows and locking the doors. While Ford says the system has "intermittent fault filter technology" to prevent "erroneous changes in sensor signals," we're betting it won't be long before veteran officers uncover some way to prank rookies with the tech. Beyond these new systems, this is the same Utility that officers know and love, only with a significant facelift reminiscent of what's found on the civilian model, which debuted at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. The new grille has a positive impact on cooling performance, Ford claims, while a new headlight setup accommodates the high-beam-based "wig-wag" lights. The new look has also allowed Ford to offer police departments additional customized lighting options, for that special touch. Inside, a new steering wheel and center console should make officers' lives easier, as will the new (and requested) liftgate release button, found in the overhead console. Check out the first images of the new Police Interceptor Utility (and, sporty drivers, memorize that headlight pattern) up above. Be sure to check back for additional live images once we check out Ford's latest cop car, at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show.

Ford preparing camera-based Front Lighting System

Ford's European Research and Innovation Center in Aachen, Germany is in pre-development on two new lighting technologies that Ford expects to be available "in the near-term." The Camera-Based Advanced Front Lighting System uses GPS and a video camera in the rear-view mirror housing to move the adaptive headlights with the road terrain. When the car detects a roundabout or an intersection, for instance, the light beam widens to offer a bigger view of what's coming from the side. If GPS detected the intersection, the location is tagged so that the beam automatically widens when it is encountered again. The Spot Lighting system uses an infrared camera behind the grille, and is similar to but less complex than systems employed by Mercedes-Benz and Audi. When the infrared camera detects a potential hazard like a person or an animal in or near the road up to 390 feet ahead, it can shine one of two LED spotlights on the danger. A display in the dash cluster will highlight the object with a yellow or a red box, depending on the how close it is and how dangerous it might be. Even though there are only two spotlights, mounted next to the fog lights on the lower front bumper, the system can detect up to eight objects at a time. Don't expect to see these features come to the US, though. Our regulations remain opposed to such headlight trickery, so until that changes, Ford says it's focusing these developments on the European and Asian markets. The video above shows how it works, the press release below has more details. FORD DEVELOPING ADVANCED HEADLIGHTS THAT POINT OUT PEOPLE, ANIMALS IN THE DARK, AND WIDEN BEAMS AT TRICKY JUNCTIONS - Ford is developing advanced lighting technology that enables drivers to more easily see potential hazards when driving at night - Camera-Based Advanced Front Lighting System widens beam at junctions and roundabouts after interpreting traffic signs - GPS-enabled system uses forward-facing camera to remember roadways and direct lighting to help drivers better see bends in the road – effectively lighting the way home on previously travelled routes - Spot Lighting uses infra-red camera to detect pedestrians, cyclists, and animals, and highlight the potential hazards; system can detect up to eight potential hazards and highlight two highest priorities using specially designed headlights and on-screen display AACHEN, Germany, July 17, 2015 – Driving at night, particularly on unlit roads, can be a nerve-wracking experience.

Ford issues four recalls covering 163k vehicles

Recalls! 2014 will be forever remembered as the year that automakers went recall crazy, with millions and millions of vehicles adding up to crush previous recall records well before the end of the year. Adding to that tally is Ford, which announced a call-back for 163,000 vehicles.
Leading that charge are the 2.0-liter, EcoBoost four-cylinder engines of the Ford Focus ST and Ford Escape. 160,000 of the 2013 and 2014 models have bad wiring harnesses that can disrupt the signals traveling to the powertrain control module. That, in turn, could lead to a check engine light, reduced power and stalling. Notably, Ford hasn't recalled any other vehicles that feature the 2.0 EcoBoost, such as the Fusion, Taurus or Explorer.
While the Focus ST and Escape constitute the vast majority of recalled vehicles, they aren't the only problem children in the Ford family. 1,300 Transit passenger vans from model year 2015 were recalled due to brake fluid leaks, while another 600 Transit cargo variants were recalled after Ford discovered the windowless sliding doors could come open in the event of a side-impact crash. Dealers will replace the sealing washers on the passenger variants and add a reinforcement plate on the cargo models, The Detroit News reports.