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techradar: The 2017 Ford Fusion is the best mid-size car you can buy


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I see. IIHS seems to think highly of those kinds of systems but I think I will just try "not hitting stuff" to prevent accidents and see how that works out for me :)

Good idea, I'm with you. I think those technologies are good for other drivers who may not be as alert as you and I.

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Gratified to see Ford with such a polished Technology story now.

 

I have Adaptive Cruise on my MKX but I just assumed it's not full-speed ACC. I've gushed about ACC before and it's a feature I can't imagine living without now.

 

As for safety features, some of them aren't as reliable as others, for me the biggest one is Blind Spot detection which has failed me far too often to be trusted at all. I would honestly prefer the mirrors so I can at least confirm what's there without taking my eyes off what's in front of me. It's best to use them as aids rather than replacements for your own eyes. The sonic backup sensor is another tech that is nearly useless to me since I once backed into a parked car that the sensors only detected right at impact, and then there are all the constant beeps from the other sensors like cross-traffic alert which are often wrong. The other feature that turns out not to be as safe as expect is a backup camera which means you spend more time looking at a smaller view of your surroundings than actually looking out the window. It does cause some bad habits that you need to break, look at the display for a quick confirmation that nothing is behind you, and then look at your mirrors or windows.

 

Allot of this can certainly be improved with less confusing alert systems which I feel is the biggest issue, many time the alerts are not where you're actually looking which means your attention is darting all around the interior in the middle of a maneuver that requires your attention, and many times they conflict with alerts from other systems which means you don't know what you're beeing beeped at for.

Edited by BORG
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When I started my career in transit as a bus operator 20+ years ago, I was trained in the Smith System of Defensive Driving.

Aim high in steering

Get the big picture

Keep your eyes moving

Leave yourself an out

Make sure they see you

I still practice these principles today and have not been in a panic situation since 1996. Well, maybe a couple of times, but I was more worried about the dim wit behind me smashing into my car than me hitting the car in front of me.

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