2011 Ford Focus auto parking test
We get behind the wheel of Ford's 2011 Focus and test out some of its tech toys.
Our initial impressions inside the car were positive. The new Focus comes with Bluetooth as standard. This is for making hands-free calls, and is normally an optional extra in family cars in the same price range. Audio support is also impressive, with an auxiliary input (for your MP3 player), a USB port (for a USB flash drive full of music, or an iPod) and DAB digital radio included as standard.
Every new Focus also comes with air conditioning, but climate control is only standard on the Titanium model. The trip computer, a colour LCD screen which takes centre stage in the instrument cluster, can display useful information such as fuel economy. It’s helpful by itself, but if you spec a car with some of the optional extras, it becomes far more useful.
On models with the EcoBoost petrol engine, the car actively monitors your driving style and shows how to drive more economically. A shift indicator highlights the best time to change gear for better fuel efficiency and a flower symbol shows how economically you are driving. If you frequently accelerate or brake harshly, fewer petals will be shown, but more careful drivers will see the full flower. Used in conjunction with the stop-start function that cuts out the engine when stopped in traffic, Ford says drivers could see savings of up to 10 per cent on their fuel bills.
A lot of cleverest safety features are included in the £750 Driver Assist pack. A front-facing camera sits in front of the rear-view mirror, scanning the road up to 40m ahead for signs including overtaking restrictions and changes in the speed limit. When it recognises a new sign, the relevant symbol is automatically displayed on the screen in the instrument cluster so the driver can always be sure they aren’t breaking the law.
As well as the camera, a front-facing laser helps reduce accidents in slow-moving traffic by detecting objects in close proximity. If the car in front suddenly stops and the driver doesn’t notice, the Focus can automatically activate its brakes to prevent an accident, as long as you’re travelling less than 9MPH. At speeds between 10 and 20MPH, the system can’t prevent an accident but it can substantially reduce any damage caused. Ford says the laser used in the system is the same model NASA uses to measure the distance between the earth and the moon, but in the new Focus it’s only designed to work in close proximity to the front of the car.