Ford Patents Autonomous System for Off-Roading
Ford patented an autopilot technology for SUVs. This solution will provide cars with the capacity to move through complex route sections with the help of algorithms embedded in the memory of the electronic control unit.
By means of a lidar and sensors the autopilot system analyzes obstacles which occur on the road and calculates a safe trajectory of the movement. In case of the rollover risk, the system will ask the driver and passengers to get out of the car. After that, the car will continue to drive independently, but the driver will be able to control it remotely, for example, via a smartphone.
Another important element of this off-road autopilot is an adaptive suspension with the possibility to regulate the road clearance, stiffness of springs and shock absorbers. The system changes settings of the suspension, brakes and adjusts the position of wheels relative to the body, and can simultaneously send signals for implementation of several operations (braking, turning, etc.). When large stones are detected, the system activates the mode of “rock crawling”.
Ford is not a pioneer in the field of self-driving off-road solutions. Jaguar Land Rover presented a Range Rover Sport that can be remotely controlled under the condition of off-road driving. But it’s still unclear where and when Ford plans to apply this technology.
