Pothole detection system for new Focus

[Trendseeker]

If you can’t rely on the government to maintain the roads, here’s a workaround:

https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/...=homePageNews5

Ford has developed a pothole detection system which promises to make the new Focus a comfortable proposition.
The brand says a new Continuously Controlled Damping system available in the Focus has been designed to make potholes and broken surfaces more liveable than before.
According to Ford, “the system senses when a wheel is falling into a pothole and adjusts the suspension to limit how far the wheel drops”.

“Because the tyre and wheel do not fall as far, they do not strike the opposite side of the pothole as harshly on exit,” it says.
“The rear suspension can respond even faster than the front, with a signal from the front wheel providing a pre-warning to the rear wheel before it reaches the pothole.”

Unlike more advanced systems such as Mercedes-Benz’ Magic Body Control, the Ford does not read the road ahead - it simply senses when a wheel is unweighted, then braces for impact in a fraction of a second.
Beyond making cars more comfortable to drive, the system has the potential to save drivers money by reducing damage to tyres, wheels and suspension on rough roads.

The new Ford Focus is set to arrive in Australia in November.

[Mercury Bullet]

My falcon has a great pothole detector.

Me.

Don't drive into em always seems to work.

[Danny]

Yeah let’s hear how rubbish and unnecessary and what a waste of time this (IMHO) handy technology would be particularly on those dark wet nights where potholes can be masked by puddles or glare.

If me fu***en FALCON DONT HAVE IT THEN NO ONE NEEDZ IT!!!!!!11

[Mercury Bullet]

Been driving for 40 years and needed one wheel repaired when a road train forced me off the bitumen.

How about people learn to drive instead of relying on electronics. Just more dumbing down of people on our roads. But you might be able to check your Facebook status.

[4vxc]

pothole detection system eh?
More useful would be a A Hole detection system activated by nearby vr and vs holdens

[LG17]

The pothole detector in my dual cab says," ****!" if it can't avoid one.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Been driving for 40 years and needed one wheel repaired when a road train forced me off the bitumen.

How about people learn to drive instead of relying on electronics. Just more dumbing down of people on our roads. But you might be able to check your Facebook status.

Well you write to Ford and let them know. I’m sure they’ll be relieved that they won’t need to spend more money or R&D efforts now that you’ve solved the problem.

[kevino]

One thing that intrigues me with...
AEB, Lane Keep Assist, Pothole Detection

is..
How does the average independent mechanic fix this stuff in 2, 3, 4 years when it fails.

Are cars becoming too complicated?

Do we need say ''Lane Keep Assist''?

In a left lane on say a 4 lane freeway I drive to the left of that lane to keep away from movable texting and facebooking drivers. If I,m in the right lane I drive to the right of that lane. If I,m on a narrow road I drive as far as possible to the left of that road.

[Maka]

Originally Posted by Danny

Well you write to Ford and let them know. I’m sure they’ll be relieved that they won’t need to spend more money or R&D efforts now that you’ve solved the problem.

image

You certainly dont need a#^% $hole assist then do you ha ha..

cheers, Maka

[Danny]

Originally Posted by kevino

One thing that intrigues me with...
AEB, Lane Keep Assist, Pothole Detection

is..
How does the average independent mechanic fix this stuff in 2, 3, 4 years when it fails.

Are cars becoming too complicated?

Do we need say ''Lane Keep Assist''?

In a left lane on say a 4 lane freeway I drive to the left of that lane to keep away from movable texting and facebooking drivers. If I,m in the right lane I drive to the right of that lane. If I,m on a narrow road I drive as far as possible to the left of that road.

I like it in my Ranger because I can f’n Facebook, read the news, catch up on instagram, eat breakfast etc while having a w**k and the car brakes and steers for me. And I certainly don’t need to worry anymore about the fact O GOT ME LICENCE FROM A BLOODY CORNFLAKE BOX AND NEED TER LEARN OW TER DRIVE!!!!11111!!!!

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Maka

You certainly dont need a#^% $hole assist then do you ha ha..

cheers, Maka

It’s assisting me right now

[kevino]

Originally Posted by Danny

I like it in my Ranger because I can f’n Facebook, read the news, catch up on instagram, eat breakfast etc while having a w**k and the car brakes and steers for me. And I certainly don’t need to worry anymore about the fact O GOT ME LICENCE FROM A BLOODY CORNFLAKE BOX AND NEED TER LEARN OW TER DRIVE!!!!11111!!!!

That sounds like 80 per cent of the population!
Driving round in their vt in Woodbridge, Mt Druitt and Werribee
Apologies to the 20 per cent from those suburbs who don't fit my boast description..

[Junkyard-Dog]

The system would be working over-time around here. Some of the roads in the Adelaide Hills have repairs on top of repairs on top of repairs. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by Danny

Well you write to Ford and let them know. I’m sure they’ll be relieved that they won’t need to spend more money or R&D efforts now that you’ve solved the problem.

image

U mad?

[ford71V8]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

The system would be working over-time around here. Some of the roads in the Adelaide Hills have repairs on top of repairs on top of repairs. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

The system would wear out within a fortnight of driving up and down South Rd

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

U mad?

U bitter?

[browser351]

It would certainly be working overtime on some of the corrugated roads in the centre of Aus

[stig_3754]

Originally Posted by kevino

One thing that intrigues me with...
AEB, Lane Keep Assist, Pothole Detection

is..
How does the average independent mechanic fix this stuff in 2, 3, 4 years when it fails.

Are cars becoming too complicated?

Do we need say ''Lane Keep Assist''?

In a left lane on say a 4 lane freeway I drive to the left of that lane to keep away from movable texting and facebooking drivers. If I,m in the right lane I drive to the right of that lane. If I,m on a narrow road I drive as far as possible to the left of that road.

One would hope that the average independent mechanic would do the same here as what they would do when any new technology becomes mainstream in vehicles...get themselves trained up so they're up to speed?

[chrisandsharon]

Geez I hope you can switch it off - some places it won’t turn a wheel

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

My falcon has a great pothole detector.

Me.

Don't drive into em always seems to work.

I've been caught out on a dark night when a pothole was full of water. Didn't see it till too late. Luckily no damage but it copped a big hit. So don't be so quick to assume even if you are watching you can always avoid them.

[bangm001]

Anyone been down George St Therbarton (Adelaide) in the last few months...?? LOL!

Surely there are better ways to spend R&D money..

[Falcon SXR8]

Driving lowered cars with super expensive rims and low profile rubber all my life has taught me skills that no machine can match when it comes to pot hole avoidance

[Whitey-AMG]

What the focus needed and may still need is a @&$)ed powershift transmission alert program with auto GPS autonomous drive back to dealership system.

[Gothefalcon]

Originally Posted by kevino

One thing that intrigues me with...
AEB, Lane Keep Assist, Pothole Detection

is..
How does the average independent mechanic fix this stuff in 2, 3, 4 years when it fails.

Are cars becoming too complicated?

Do we need say ''Lane Keep Assist''?

In a left lane on say a 4 lane freeway I drive to the left of that lane to keep away from movable texting and facebooking drivers. If I,m in the right lane I drive to the right of that lane. If I,m on a narrow road I drive as far as possible to the left of that road.

What's the other 3 things ??

D

[cheap]

No need 👎

[Trendseeker]

Originally Posted by cheap

So how the heck does this latest technical marvel work?

You’re driving down the road and all of a sudden the wheel turns? There’s on coming traffic, there’s cars to the left and right, never mind just turn that wheel, at least you’re avoided the 👎

You’re referring to Mercury Bullet’s pothole avoidance system.

The new one adjusts the suspension to keep the wheel from dropping too far. No turning required.

[OzJavelin]

If all it's doing is reactive restriction of the suspension extension on one wheel, I don't really have an issue with that; sounds like modified use of existing technology (magnetic suspension or something).
Plenty of "holes" in roads out in the country that are indentations without missing bitumen that you can't easily see at 100km/h.
And I'm no fanboy of tech for tech sake; I can see the value in some upgrades. Drove my 1965 Chev Corvair into work in the dark this morning (35km trip) ... it's an "adventure" to say the least driving lowtech cars.

[Nikked]

You can tell who has nice roads where potholes are a irregular occurrence.

Live outside a major city and use country roads you'll find out when a pothole detector is usefull...

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Live outside a major city and use country roads you'll find out when a pothole detector is usefull...

I was going to argue this point, but then I realised Adelaide probably doesn't qualify as a 'major city' so its all good

as mentioned by a couple of other SA people earlier, there are some roads here where the suspension would be holding the wheel up for a very long time.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by Nikked

You can tell who has nice roads where potholes are a irregular occurrence.

Live outside a major city and use country roads you'll find out when a pothole detector is usefull...

Yep, I live on the probably the worst strip of highway in australia.

Single lane, carries the heaviest trucks in the world and hasn't been maintained for years because of the perth-darwin hwy. Never seen anyone stopped because of a pothole.