Ford Kuga Tops First-Ever Euro NCAP Rankings For Assisted Driving Systems

The European Ford Kuga (or Ford Escape as it’s called in the U.S.), features the latest suite of Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies that are designed to deliver an intuitive and stress-reducing driving experience. But those features have also now earned the Kuga a top honors in Euro NCAP’s first-ever Assisted Driving grading.

Euro NCAP’s new Assisted Driving program evaluates features that share control of the vehicle with a driver who retains full responsibility, helping to detect and respond to objects and events for effortless, confidence-inspiring journeys.

Kuga scored more than twice as many points as the Tesla Model 3 in the Driver Engagement category and significantly outscored both the Volvo V60 and Volkswagen Passat for Safety Backup during two weeks of testing, which also assessed the effectiveness of Vehicle Assistance from the technologies.

Kuga’s available Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop & Go, Speed Sign Recognition, and Lane Centering use a combination of radar and cameras to monitor the road and traffic ahead, and can automatically keep pace with traffic and road flow as well as speed restrictions in many driving scenarios.

Stop & Go, available with the Kuga’s eight-speed automatic transmission, enables the ACC system to bring the vehicle to a complete halt in stop-start traffic using up to 50 percent of total braking force, and automatically pull away if the stopping duration is less than 3 seconds. For stopping durations greater than 3 seconds, the driver can push a steering wheel button or gently apply the accelerator to pull away.

Speed Sign Recognition can keep the vehicle’s speed to within legal limits by monitoring the roadside for speed signs, in addition to using information from the on-board navigation system.

Lane Centering technology monitors road markings and can apply gentle but discernible torque to the steering system to help drivers stay centered in their lane whenever the ACC system is activated. Designed to support drivers at speeds up to 200 kilometers-per-hour (125 miles-per-hour), the technology delivers visual and audible warnings if it detects a lack of steering wheel input from the driver.

Kuga also features advanced technologies designed to help prevent or mitigate the effects of accidents, including Blind Spot Assist, Intersection Assist, and Pre-Collision Assist with Active Braking.

We’ll have much more on the Kuga soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford Kuga news and continuous Ford news coverage.