Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Ford introduces new Curve Control technology
 Ford Motor Company today introduced a new innovation – Curve Control – designed to help drivers maintain control of their vehicles when taking a curve too quickly.
Curve Control debuts as standard equipment on the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer going into production later this year, and will be offered on 90 percent of the company's North American crossovers, sport utilities, trucks and vans by 2015.
The technology senses when a driver is taking a curve too quickly – a situation found to contribute to about 50,000 crashes each year in the U.S. – and rapidly reduces engine torque and can apply four-wheel braking, slowing the vehicle by up to 10 mph in about one second.
Curve Control is effective on dry or wet pavement, and is expected to be particularly useful when drivers are entering or exiting freeway on- or off-ramps with too much speed. The patent-pending system works by measuring how quickly the vehicle is turning and comparing that with how quickly the driver is trying to turn.
Based on Ford's exclusive AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™), Curve Control uses sensors to measure roll rate, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, wheel speed and steering wheel angle, and runs calculations based on those inputs 100 times every second.
Curve Control is one of several new driver assist and safety technologies to be offered on the all-new Explorer. Other technologies include next-generation adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, state-of-the-art pressure-based airbag technology, the industry's first inflatable rear seat belts and intelligent four-wheel-drive terrain management system.
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