Late model Ford Explorer and Ford F-150 owners living in the Virginia area will have a chance to earn some extra cash this winter. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute is looking to recruit owners of 2020 and 2021 model year Ford Explorer and Ford F-150 vehicles for a study about advanced driver assistance systems. Participants with qualifying vehicles have a chance to make a pretty substantial amount of cash too: $1,050, provided they stay in the study for the entire 18 month duration.
More specifically, the institute is interested in Ford vehicles equipped with lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control features. While every 2020 and 2021 Explorer has the Lane Keeping System as standard equipment thanks to the Ford Co-Pilot360 safety package, Explorers without the optional Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package do not have adaptive cruise control.
That optional active safety feature is included on 2020 and 2021 Explorer XLT models, where it’s bundled in with the 202A equipment package and standard on every Limited, Limited Hybrid, ST, and Platinum trimmed model. The package includes:
- Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control
- Evasive Steering Assist
- Voice-Activated Navigation
Like the Ford Explorer, the 2020 Ford F-150 offers both safety features in higher-spec trims. Ford’s Lane Keeping System is included as standard equipment on Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited models and available on Raptor. The automaker did not offer the feature on XL or XLT trimmed models.
Adaptive Cruise Control With Stop-And-Go is yet more exclusive, offered as a standalone option, depending on the trim. It is optional equipment on Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Raptor models and standard equipment on Limited.
The 2021 Ford F-150, which represents the first model year of the 14th-generation, will do things a bit differently. Only trucks equipped with Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 safety suite will be eligible for the study, as it includes The Blue Oval’s Lane Keeping System and Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control together in one package. Those driver assistance features will no longer be offered as standalone options. Instead, they will be available on the following trim configurations:
- XLT Mid
- XLT High
- Lariat Standard
- Lariat Mid
Additionally, certain 2021 Ford F-150 configurations will have Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 as standard equipment:
- Lariat High
- King Ranch
- Platinum
- Limited
Late model Ford F-150 and Ford Explorer owners that opted for the aforementioned safety equipment can earn $50 per month if they choose to participate in the study, for a maximum total payout of $1,050. The study is primarily focused on how drivers use vehicles equipped with the safety technology. Contact information for the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute can be found here.
We’ll have much more information to share about Ford’s safety technology in the future, so subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-150 news, Ford Explorer news, and continuous Ford news coverage.
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