Ford has revealed a new Front Split View Camera, which could prove to be the most practical of all the cameras that a car can have these days.
Mounted on the front grille, the Front Split View Camera offers a 180-degree view of approaching traffic, helping to exit safely out of blind junctions and effectively solving one of the most nerve-wracking experiences a driver can live.
The first models to receive it -as an option- will be the new Ford Galaxy and S-MAX, with the system using a 1-megapixel camera which sends the 180-degree view to the vehicle’s 8-inch infotainment screen. The camera is just 33mm wide and has its own retractable jet-washer that works every time the driver operates the windscreen wipers.
“From sunrise to sunset we tested the Front Split View Camera on all kinds of roads, congested urban streets and areas with a lot of cyclists and pedestrians,” Ronny Hause, engineer in Ford’s Driver Assistance Electronic Systems said. “Tackling tunnels, narrow alleys and garages in all light conditions also meant we could ensure the technology worked well even when sunlight was shining directly into the camera.”
19 per cent of drivers involved in accidents at junctions experienced obstructions to their view according to data collected by the European Road Safety Observatory SafetyNet project while the UK Department of Transport said that in 2013 vision affected by external factors contributed to 11 per cent of all road accidents.
The new Ford Galaxy and S-MAX are available for order now in the UK market with prices starting at £27,595 and £25,245 respectively, with the front and rear cameras to be a £400 option. The Front Split View Camera will be available also in the new Ford Edge which will come to Europe later this year.
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