REVscene Automotive Forum - Ford’s New Fusion Sport Can Jump Over Potholes

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Ford’s New Fusion Sport Can Jump Over Potholes

i hope the aftermarket can come up with something similar one day...

Quote:

Ford's all-new Fusion V6 Sport is the type of car that can protect itself and your wallet from those damaging potholes that often plague some of our most traveled on roads.

Because it's darn near impossible to miss all the potholes you encounter, Ford engineers have developed an advanced computer-controlled shock absorber system for the 2017 Fusion V6 Sport, which should help drivers cut back on getting frustrated when driving over pothole-riddled roads.

According to AAA, US drivers spend about $3 billion every year to cover pothole damages to their cars, with some of them reporting paying $300 to repair this type of damage.

As if to come directly to their rescue, the Fusion V6 Sport is the first ever Ford car equipped with a continuously controlled damping system as a standard feature.

"The new Fusion V6 Sport substantially reduces the harsh impact potholes often deliver," said Ford engineering expert, Jason Michener. "Our new pothole mitigation technology works by actually detecting potholes and ‘catching’ the car’s wheel before it has a chance to drop all the way into the pothole."

Furthermore, the Ford argues that the Fusion V6 Sport is the first midsize sedan in its class to feature this tech, and points out how neither the Honda Accord nor the Toyota Camry offer such an advanced suspension system.

Michener added that this system was tested and tuned "by driving over countless potholes, subjecting the Fusion V6 Sport to the brutal, square-edged potholes of our Romeo Proving Grounds to finesse the software. It was long hours of not very pleasant work, but the results are well worth it."

Watching the video footage will clarify the way the system operates, but what it doesn't say is that the rear suspension can respond even faster than the front, mainly because the front wheels can send a pre-warning to the rear well before it reaches the pothole - and that is pretty clever.

The new Fusion V6 Sport with continuously controlled damping and pothole mitigation tech is set to arrive at Ford dealerships this summer.

wouldn't stiffen the damper will cause more damage to the wheels?
will it detect speed bumps?

Reminded me of this video:

That sounds great, except I'm willing to bet the cost of keeping that system in functioning order will vastly outweigh the costs of possible damage from potholes.

but i noticed on the slow mo that even with the system, the tires compress quite a lot when it contacts the front of the pothole? Wouldn't that still create the chance of a flat?

yeah seems like the tire takes quite a beating

Quote:

Originally Posted by underscore (Post 8729437)

That sounds great, except I'm willing to bet the cost of keeping that system in functioning order will vastly outweigh the costs of possible damage from potholes.

It appears in this system the dampers are stiffened before the pothole. Holding the wheel from falling into the pothole. I think in the bose system, they had active hydraulics that would adapt to road conditions.

The Ford system can only handle holes and not bumps. Along with only one pothole at a time or one pothole in diagonal positions, eg. LF + RR, or RF + LR.

I think it'll cost just as much with cars that have sport mode and economy mode. But, it's one of those things were time will tell.

Stiffening is a bad word. I looks like the rebound is completely slowed, to slow the shock/spring combo from extending. I'd suspect the compression abilities of the shock would remain the same, meaning the wheel wouldn't take any more of a hit. Actually substantially less since it's not actually entering the pothole, just nipping the tip. Just the tip.