Skip to main content

Ford has Edge on rural driving

Ford has introduced a solution for rural roads which it says can gently steer a vehicle back on track when needed.
By Ben Spencer April 17, 2020 Read time: 1 min
Ford steers drivers from the Edge of rural roads (© Michael Smith | Dreamstime.com)

Road Edge Detection is designed for country driving at speeds of 45-70mph and uses a camera located below the rearview mirror to monitor road edges 50m in front of the vehicle and 7m to the side, the company adds. 

Rüdiger Kieneke, Ford driver assistance and safety electronics engineer, says: “Rural roads can be every bit as challenging for drivers as urban streets – especially for those who may be unfamiliar with their route. Road Edge Detection helps alleviate one concern to make journeys more comfortable and easier.”

The system's advanced algorithm is expected to determine when there are clear structural changes from the road to the nearby area while also offering steering support on roads when lane marking is obscured or hidden by leaves, snow or rain. 

According to Ford, the system vibrates the steering wheel if the driver is still close to the edge following initial steering support.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Rekor: solving the data puzzle
    April 19, 2022
    AI can help transport agencies to deal with incidents on the road. Noam Maital of Rekor explains to Adam Hill how marrying up different types of data can be like putting together a 1,000-piece puzzle
  • Mega trends will challenge transport technology
    June 5, 2015
    Jon Masters investigates some of the longer term trends that will shape transportation over the next 20 years. Business analysts and investors have already placed their bets on a future of technological smart mobility services. In December last year, the Wall Street Journal reported that Uber, the on-demand taxi and lift share smartphone app and start-up business, had been valued at $41.2 billion which, as the Journal reported, is an incredible vote of confidence for a company only five years old.
  • How connectivity and intelligence are redefining the riding experience
    May 31, 2024
    Connected services and safety solutions for vulnerable road users (VRUs) riding two and three-wheelers
  • Driver with 51 penalty points still allowed to drive
    January 12, 2016
    Three drivers with more than 40 points on their driving licences are still allowed on the road, according to a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). The enquiry also found that 13 people in Britain currently have 28 or more points on their driving licence, the worst of those amassing 51 points. In addition, the numbers of drivers with 12 or more points has gone up by nine per cent in just seven months between March and October 2015 – from 6,884 to 7,517.