Children’s Day: 10 Vehicle Safety Features for Children and Parents

Safety features usually rank very high on a parent’s list of priorities when looking to buy a new family car. But with so many advances in technology and engineering in the auto industry over recent years, it can be a bit overwhelming for buyers to make sense of all the terminology, and know exactly which features to look for during the decision-making process.

The Ranger, which was Ford’s top-selling vehicle in Nigeria in 2017, is a great all-rounder, combining the perfect blend of on-road comfort and stability with off-road capability. It boasts all the toughness and rugged capabilities of a pick-up truck, but also features smart technology, outstanding safety, superior fuel economy, and high standards of quality and comfort normally associated with passenger cars. The top of the range Ranger Wildtrak is from a design standpoint, very modern, refined and stylish.

“Ford has a longstanding commitment to developing and implementing innovations that make their vehicles safer for our customers and their families,” says Abiona Babarinde, GM of Marketing and Communications at Coscharis Motors, the exclusive distributor of Ford vehicles in Nigeria. “Coscharis Motors would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Children’s Day, and will continue to take the necessary steps to stimulate safety and security for our customers.”

To indicate just how seriously Ford Motor Company is committed to the cause, the automaker’s Ranger engineers used sophisticated computer modelling and assessed more than 9 000 virtual crash tests, before any of the 110 actual vehicle crash tests or 410 system sled tests were undertaken. These virtual simulations allowed the engineers to optimise the vehicle structure and safety systems to provide the maximum levels of protection possible, in a wide-range of real-world collision scenarios. All this was achieved before any real prototype vehicle was built and subjected to crash testing.

Below are some of the features which make the Ranger such a safe and family-friendly car:

1. Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and Emergency Brake Light (EBL). When the driver applies brakes quickly in an emergency situation, the Emergency Brake Assist function will provide additional pressure to the braking system to increase the braking force and reduce the distance required for the vehicle to stop. At the same time, the Emergency Brake Light feature will flash the indicator lights to warn other drivers.
2. The Ranger provides an array of airbags dependent on the model. These include driver, passenger, and side curtain airbags.
3. Selected double-cab models are fitted with ISOFIX child car seat mounting points.
4. The Rollover Mitigation, an optional feature on certain Rangers, intervenes by controlling the vehicle’s speed and restoring stability, reducing the chances of the car rolling in an emergency situation.
5. The Ranger sits high above the ground, meaning you can easily clear unexpected obstacles on the road, such as debris, speedbumps, and potholes.
6. The Front and Rear Park Assist comes standard on Limited and Wildtrak Ranger models. This feature uses sensors to detect obstacles and provide audible warnings when the vehicle approaches an obstruction at low speed, such as when parking. A rear-view camera is optional on Limited and Wildtrak Ranger models and gives a clear view behind the vehicle, providing greater confidence to the driver.
7. Individual tyre pressure monitoring system. Individual monitors show air pressure readings for each tyre and alerts the driver when a particular tyre pressure is low. The big tyres help absorb the impact when you hit a pothole, keeping you in control. This feature comes standard on Limited and Wildtrak Ranger models.
8. Cruise Control. This feature automatically controls the speed of the Ranger and ensures it keeps a steady speed as set by the driver. This feature comes standard on XLT and Wildtrak Ranger models.
9. Adaptive Load Control. Smart technology that assists you to confidently keep loads under control by providing vehicle stability. This feature is available depending on Ranger model.
10. Hill Descent Control and Hill Launch Control. With Hill Descent Control, brakes are automatically applied, as needed, to slow the vehicle to a set speed without the driver needing to touch the pedal. Speed can be adjusted through the accelerator and the Cruise Control buttons on the steering wheel. Hill Launch Control helps the driver pull away on steep climbs. This feature comes standard on select 4×4 Ranger models.