Thank you, Ford Engineers! Saved by front crash alarm

[NedF]

If the engineering was that impressive, it would have stopped without you having to swerve (that's what it's supposed to do). If you're swerving to stop, you're adding risk.

It had been over 2 years since I read the manual, but I thought I read the emergency braking was not intended to always stop the truck in time to avoid a collision. My understanding is it will prime the brakes to assist your ability to stop and if the active braking is turned on it will attempt to stop you before a collision, but it may only reduce the impact.

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[Hoagus]

No it did not. I'm thinking because I swerved very quickly after hearing the alarm. Truth be told, I'm not sure if it did brake that it would have stopped me in time. Problem is it's not something you want to test out. I'd be interested in seeing a car crash test with dummies to verify its effectiveness.

I’ve had it slam the brakes a couple of times in the first year, one of them quite vigorously, but both on low speed surface streets. At this Point I don’t even know if it still works.

 

[Dad]

So glad to hear it was a close call, not something worse!

We never want to have to depend on all the electronics (or screaming spouses!), but when it helps keep us safe the help is so appreciated.

Keep your head up and stick on the ice,

Andy

Thank you!

 

[Dad]

It had been over 2 years since I read the manual, but I thought I read the emergency braking was not intended to always stop the truck in time to avoid a collision. My understanding is it will prime the brakes to assist your ability to stop and if the active braking is turned on it will attempt to stop you before a collision, but it may only reduce the impact.

Your interpretation seems to be accurate. If the system was supposed to stop the truck before impact, in my situation it would have stopped the truck before I had to swerve. As it happened, I did not feel any attempt by the vehicle to brake, but perhaps I swerved before it could respond. Not something I would want to experience again or experiment with.
Ford has a video explaining how the system may react one of three ways.

 

[Dad]

I’ve had it slam the brakes a couple of times in the first year, one of them quite vigorously, but both on low speed surface streets. At this Point I don’t even know if it still works.

Thank you for posting. I've had the truck brake itself in a similar situation, low speed, surface street.

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