Ford Develops Pothole Detection Technology To Make Driving Smoother

Potholes are one of the biggest problems that a motorist faces when riding or driving on a daily basis. With the monsoon well under way, Indian roads are going from bad to worse as rainfall wreaks havoc on the condition of our roads. Potholes take a massive toll on both, the man and the machine. Not to mention the fact that they also mar your driving experience. With authorities doing little to manage the pothole problem, some of the automotive manufacturers have taken it on to themselves to address the problems of potholes.

First, it was Mercedes-Benz, with its magic body control system on the S-Class luxury sedan. That uses a camera to 'see' the road ahead and adjusts the suspension accordingly, to offer a smooth and comfortable ride quality. But a majority of people in India will not be able to afford an S-Class. And that is where Ford comes in! The company recently launched the latest model of the Ford Focus in the UK where it was fitted with Pothole Detection. Ford uses a technology called 'continuous controlled damping' which consists of 12 high-resolution sensors that monitor the suspension and driving inputs such as throttle, brakes, and steering every two milliseconds. It then adjusts the suspension of the car at each wheel - to avoid a pothole feeling like a huge bump. So the wheel no longer crashes into a pothole, instead it minimises the impact felt to the chassis.

Ford says that its pothole detection tech is more effective at the rear

This means that every time that the sensors detect a wheel entering a pothole, that damper firms up. So that instead of the tyre going into the pothole all the way, it just skims over most of it, offering a smoother ride. This also minimises the chances of damage to the car. Ford says that its pothole detection tech is more effective at the rear because the rear of the car will enter the pothole later than the front, giving more time to the sensors for adjusting the suspension optimally.

Ford also has a dedicated test track in Lommel, Belgium where the company has over 80 kilometres of roads mimicking the worst road conditions from more than 25 countries around the world - India would surely feature we reckon! This helps the company to test and create robust chassis and suspension systems that can withstand the worst abuse that bad roads can throw at them. That is where Ford tested and perfected its pothole detection tech as well.

Ford might roll out this technology and introduce it in its other models in the near future. And considering the condition of Indian roads, we would love if Ford begins offering its pothole detection technology on its Indian portfolio - even if you have to pay for it as extra, right?