Ford Motor Company is adding a few new safety features to the 2009 Explorer to enhance its appeal to buyers. Ford will now include a Trailer Sway Control system to its list of standard safety features. The Trailer Sway Control works in with the already in place AdvanceTrac with RSC to help keep the vehicle in balance while towing. Ford will add three more safety features alongside the Trailer Sway Control. They include the Safety Canopy, Ford's Belt-Minder, and Intelligent Safety System.
Most of Ford's 2008 vehicle lineup includes this feature. By 2010, AdvanceTrac with RSC will be standard equipment on more than five million Ford and Lincoln Mercury trucks, crossovers, SUVs, and vans.
For more details, read this press release from Ford Motor Co.:
2009 Ford Explorer adds Trailer Sway Control to an Impressive list of Standard Safety Features
DEARBORN, Mich., March 2008 - Ford will bolster the 2009 Explorer by including Trailer Sway Control. Trailer Sway Control joins an already impressive list of standard safety features, including industry-exclusive AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control).
"When we first introduced AdvanceTrac with RSC on the Explorer in 2004, we offered customers enhanced safety by including roll sensing," said Steve Kozak, Ford's chief safety engineer. "Now with Trailer Sway Control, we are helping our customers who tow trailers achieve an enhanced level of control of their load. Ford is committed to continuing to develop features and technologies that help make the driving experience easier and safer."
Unlike competitors' electronic stability control systems that only use yaw rate sensing, Advance Trac® with RSC® utilizes a roll-rate sensor to determine the vehicle's body roll-rate and roll angle, along with yaw rate sensing.
If the unique roll-rate sensor detects a significant roll angle, the system applies additional countermeasures -- such as applying brakes to one or more wheels or reducing engine power -- to help the driver maintain control of the vehicle
Trailer Sway Control works in conjunction with AdvanceTrac with RSC to determine from the yaw motion of the vehicle if the trailer is swaying and take measures - such as applying precise braking or reduced engine torque - to help bring both vehicle and trailer under control.
In general, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) both agree stability control systems could save thousands of lives annually.
Ford Motor Company continues to advance its safety leadership. AdvanceTrac with RSC is currently standard equipment on most 2008 Ford, Lincoln, Mercury SUVs. By 2010, AdvanceTrac with RSC will be standard equipment on more than 5 million Ford and Lincoln Mercury trucks, crossovers, SUVs and vans.
In addition to AdvanceTrac with RSC and Trailer Sway Control, Explorer offers a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including:
• Safety Canopy: Ford's exclusive side impact protection system, featuring side curtain air bags that help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollovers and side impact crashes. The curtains are designed to slip between the occupant and the side window. The Safety Canopy is designed to stay inflated for several seconds, as rollover crashes often last much longer than side impact crashes.
• Ford's Belt-Minder®: A safety belt reminder technology for the driver and front passenger that takes over after the initial safety belt reminder stops chiming. If the driver or front passenger remains unbuckled, the system chimes and flashes a warning lamp for six seconds every 30 seconds for five minutes or until the driver buckles up, whichever comes first.
• Intelligent Safety System: A suite of advanced adaptive technologies working together as a system to help protect occupants, including dual-stage front air bags and occupant classification.