The next version of the Ford Fusion V6 Sport will ship with technology aimed at preventing damage caused by potholes, a feature not yet available on any rival vehicle. Computer-controlled shock absorbers are able to predict potholes to reduce jostling and prevent tire and wheel damage.
The 2017 model year Fusion V6 Sport will come standard with Ford’s continuously controlled damping, which works by “detecting potholes and ‘catching’ the car’s wheel before it has a chance to drop all the way into the pothole," says Jason Michener, Ford engineering expert.
The system uses 12 “high-resolution” sensors to scan the road surface and readjust the suspension dampers every two milliseconds, Ford explains. If it detects a pothole, it stiffens the shocks to their maximum, stopping them from falling into the hole.
Fusions equipped with pothole mitigation technology will be available in dealerships this summer.
