Did you know that 94 percent of car crashes involve human error? Most collisions are not caused by mechanical failure, like the brakes suddenly giving out—they are because someone behind the wheel wasn't paying enough attention, or made a mistake.
It used to be that there wasn't much automakers could do about human error. All they could do was to build machines better able to survive a crash, and protect occupants inside. Today, computers are changing everything.
The 2017 Ford Fusion, for example, is available with a feature called Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. Using sensors and cameras, the vehicle can identify a human crossing the road, and gauge their trajectory compared to the car's trajectory. If a collision is likely, it gives an audible warning. If the driver does not brake or change course in time to avoid hitting the pedestrian, the car takes matters into its own hands, applying the brakes.
Check out the video above, created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, hosted by Adam Savage, for a fun demonstration of pedestrian detection technology. To find out more about Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection hands-on, visit Salem Ford for a test drive.
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