The clever boffins at Ford have come up with a way of automatically preventing your windscreen from fogging up.
Ford’s Windscreen Weather Station can detect moisture in the air as well as detect changes in the temperature of the glass, automatically activating the aircon if needed.
It selects the required airflow to pre-empt the windscreen from fogging up.
Ford says windscreens can quickly fog up particularly when you get into a car all hot and sweaty after exercise.
The weather station is located on the glass, along with other sensors near the rear-view mirror.
Measuring a tiny 5x3cm it consists of several sensors.
The system can be found in the new Ford Escape/Kuga model, but is restricted to those models with dual climate control.
Escape is sold in Europe as the Kuga, where the system was tested.
Mind you, it was also once sold here as the Kuga too (it’s complicated).
Last year, from March to June, Sport England reported 731,000 more runners and 1.2 million more cyclists than before, while Germany saw a 42 per cent increase in runners — as the COVID hit population attempted to stay active.
Ford recently teamed up with outdoor experience experts komoot to enable drivers to plan, navigate and enjoy an adventure in the great outdoors.
Drivers of selected electrified Ford vehicles can utilise FordPass to defrost the windscreen and set the cabin temperature before starting their journey.
For the outside, Ford’s patented QuickClear technology de-ices the windscreen in seconds at the touch of a button.
Ford’s European climate control supervisor, Ingo Krolewski, said waiting for your windscreen to clear after exercising is one of life’s little irritations.
“But driving without being able to clearly see the view ahead can be dangerous,” he said.
“This technology anticipates the problem and deals with it without the driver even knowing.”
Priced from $35,990, Escape comes with a long list of standard equipment, including:
- Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection
- Evasive Steering Assist
- Forward Collision Warning
- Dynamic Brake Support
- Traffic Sign Recognition
- Blind Spot Detection (BLIS)
- Lane Departure Warning
- Lane Keep Assist with Lane Centring
- Driver Impairment Monitor
- Tyre Pressure Monitor
- Emergency Assistance
- Adaptive Cruise Control with adjustable speed limiter and Stop & Go
- 18-inch alloys, stylish LED headlights and tail lights for greater vision for the driver and enhanced on-road visibility to other road users.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9-x_HY83-8&list=WL&index=53
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