NEW SAFETY, CONVENIENCE TECHNOLOGY BOLSTERS FAMILY-FRIENDLY 2010 FORD ESCAPE, MERCURY MARINER
10/01/2009
Ford
For 2010, Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner add a host of new features that improve safety and make driving more convenient. Escape and Mariner also become two of the first Ford Motor Company vehicles to feature SYNC(R) with Traffic, Directions and Information - helping reduce distractions while accessing important route and traffic information.
SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information leverages industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS technology, and a customer's Bluetooth(R)-capable mobile phone. SYNC's new applications provide simple hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise turn-by-turn driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports, and weather.
Innovations for Safer Driving
Also new for 2010, Integrated Spotter Mirrors consist of an outside rearview mirror designed with a secondary convex spotter in the top outer corner, which is aimed exclusively at the driver's blind spot. When traffic enters the driver's blind spot on either side of the vehicle, it is visible in the secondary convex mirror, helping provide the driver broader peripheral view.
An available Rear View Camera system uses an exterior camera embedded in the rear of the vehicle that sends images to a video display in the rearview mirror or the navigation system screen, if equipped, to help enhance visibility directly behind the vehicle when it is in reverse. Ford is leveraging the affordability of high-quality video cameras to widely offer the technology.
To help encourage safer teen driving, Escape and Mariner feature the new MyKey(TM) system. Parents simply program the vehicle key through the message center to incorporate features such as:
Limited top speed of 80 mph
Traction control system that limits tire spin cannot be deactivated
Audio system volume limited to 44 percent of maximum volume
A speed alert chime at 45, 55 or 65 mph
All Escape and Mariner models come with an Anti-Lock Brake System and Ford's exclusive AdvanceTrac(R) with RSC (Roll Stability Control(TM)). The only available electronic stability control system with two gyroscopic effect sensors, AdvanceTrac with RSC measures vehicle motion about both the yaw and roll axes.
Ford Motor Company today has more than 80 patents worldwide for this innovative system, which features roll-rate sensing and stability enhancement capability, offering assistance to the driver in maintaining vehicle control during extreme maneuvers. The system automatically engages counter measures to help the driver maintain maximum control and reduce the risk of rollover.
Technology Improves Confidence while Parking, Driving
The new Active Park Assist system uses sensors on the front and rear of the vehicle, working in conjunction with Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS), to guide the vehicle into a parking space. Here's how it works:
The driver activates the system by pressing an instrument panel button, which activates the ultrasonic sensors to measure and identify a feasible parallel parking space.
The system then prompts the driver to accept the system assistance to park.
The steering system then takes over and steers the car into the parking space hands-free. The driver still shifts the transmission and operates the gas and brake pedals.
A visual and/or audible driver interface advises the driver about the proximity of other cars, objects and people and provides instructions.
While the steering is all done automatically, the driver remains responsible for safe parking and can interrupt the system by grasping the steering wheel.
Another benefit of EPAS is the ability to control steering characteristics that enhance drive quality. An example found on Escape and Mariner is Pull-Drift Compensation, a software-based technology designed to help drivers offset vehicle pulling or drifting that can occur in steady crosswinds or on uneven roads.
EPAS is a sophisticated system that uses sensors to constantly measure the steering input applied by the driver to maintain the vehicle's path; it continually resets to adapt to changing road conditions or the vehicle turning a corner. Ford's pull-drift software technology gives the EPAS system the added ability to compensate for slight steering torque changes caused by environmental factors such as road crowning or steady crosswinds.
"If you're on the expressway and the road is crowned to the left or right for better water drainage, for example, you may need to make a slight steering compensation for that crowning," said Brian Kosztowny, Ford Vehicle Dynamics development engineer. "With Pull-Drift Compensation, the EPAS system gradually will dial in steering assist for easier steering in these conditions without the driver feeling it in his or her fingers or needing to make an extra effort. The electric motor does more, so you don't have to."
Maximizing Fuel Economy
Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner continue to offer leading-edge powertrain options that maximize performance and fuel efficiency. Buyers can choose a 171-hp, 2.5-liter I-4 engine with Intake Variable Cam Timing (i-VCT) or an available 3.0-liter V-6 that produces 240 hp thanks to internal improvements and i-VCT. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard with the I-4 engine, or customers can opt for the fuel-saving 6-speed automatic transmission that's also standard on V-6 models.
Other fuel-efficiency measures, such as refined aerodynamics and low-rolling-resistance tires, also enhance fuel economy while contributing to a quiet, refined cabin environment. The powertrain also incorporates electronic throttle control (ETC). This technology replaces the manual linkage between accelerator and throttle with a control unit that calculates the optimal throttle position from a number of sensors. ETC is a form of the state-of-the-art, drive-by-wire technology.
Additionally, the new Electric Power Assist Steering system replaces the traditional hydraulic power steering pump. Because it operates only when required for steering assistance, it contributes to lower fuel consumption than a hydraulic pump, which operates whenever the engine was running.
Escape and Mariner score in both comfort and sustainability with their eco-friendly seats. The seats include soy-based foam that substitutes for petroleum-based products to conserve limited resources and reduce CO2 emissions. Eco-friendly seat fabrics also are offered on Escape Hybrid made from 100 percent post-industrial recycled materials.
More Choices for Hybrid Buyers
Escape Hybrid and Mariner Hybrid for 2010 continue their claim as America's most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly SUVs based on 2009 EPA estimates.
Hybrid models use a 2.5-liter I-4 designed to run on the Atkinson combustion cycle. An advanced engine processor enables nearly imperceptible transitions between gas and electric vehicle mode, and hybrid models also feature a powertrain damping system to reduce vibrations and feedback to the driver and other vehicle occupants.
The Escape Limited Hybrid is packaged for environmentally conscious buyers who still want a full complement of accessories and equipment. Along with its gas counterpart, the Escape Limited Hybrid features 16-inch, six-spoke bright machined aluminum wheels and exterior chrome accents, a standard AM-FM/6-CD changer, chrome and ebony interior touches and a luxury and convenience package that includes ambient lighting, heated front leather seating surfaces, a power moonroof, retractable cargo area cover and standard SecuriCode(TM) keyless entry.
Safety Technologies
Standard and available 2010 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner safety features include:
AdvanceTrac with RSC
Safety Canopy(R), a side air curtain technology offering protection for the first and second seating rows
Personal Safety System(TM), a suite of seven safety technologies, including dual-stage front air bags for the driver and front-seat passenger, side air bags and a front passenger sensor system
Integrated Spotter Mirrors
MyKey
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system on rear seating positions
Escape/Mariner Technology and Connectivity Features
Standard and available 2010 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner technology features include:
SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information
SIRIUS(R) Satellite Radio with an initial six-month subscription
EPAS with Pull-Drift Compensation
Voice-Activated Navigation with SIRIUS Travel Link(TM)
Rear View Camera System
Active Park Assist
Easy Fuel(R) Capless Fuel-Filler System
Ambient lighting
Steering wheel audio controls
Auxiliary audio input jack
110V AC power outlet (Hybrid models only)
Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner are built at the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Mo