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US:Mercury Meta One Concept advances Ford safety technology

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#1 ·
Mercury Meta One Concept advances Ford safety technology

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Mercury has issued the following press release:



The science of safety is being advanced by Ford in the form of two emerging safety technologies - Lane Departure Warning and Collision Mitigation by Braking. Both technologies will be showcased on the Mercury Meta One concept at the 2005 North American International Auto Show.

With a focus on accident prevention, Ford Motor Company is developing safety technologies that warn when a vehicle wanders into another lane and even apply the brakes if an accident is imminent. These technologies will be featured on the Mercury Meta One, Ford's most advanced scientific research concept ever displayed at an auto show.

Much of the science of automobile safety has focused on passive restraints, or how to protect occupants during a crash. Ford is researching and applying active safety measures in production vehicles and concepts designed with the intention to prevent some accidents from occurring.

One of these technologies, Ford's exclusive Roll Stability Control™, will be on more than one-half million Ford Motor Company SUVs by the end of 2005.

Unlike any other system in the world, Ford's patented Roll Stability Control features roll-rate sensing and stability enhancing capability - offering assistance to the driver in maintaining vehicle control during extreme maneuvers. Ford also announced that the 2006 15-passenger E-Series wagon will feature the technology.

At Detroit's North American International Auto Show in January, Ford Motor Company's Mercury Meta One concept showcases two additional active safety technologies with promise: Lane Departure Warning, and Collision Mitigation by Braking.

Ford's Lane Departure Warning System is a technology in development that could help prevent a driver from unintentionally leaving his lane.

Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Ford's Lane Departure Warning is a mechanized vision system designed to recognize lane markings and a vehicle's lateral position to those markings. It can provide a visual, audible and/or haptic (vibrating) warning to the driver if the vehicle departs from a distinguishable travel lane without activation of the appropriate turn signal. In the concept car, a right lane departure triggers a vibration to the right side of the seat; a left lane departure spurs vibration of the left side of the seat.

In Lane Departure Warning, vehicle position is evaluated by a camera system mounted behind the windshield that measures the lateral distance from the camera's center line to the left and right lane markings. The system works during the day or at night while headlights are in use. Naturally, the system does not warn the driver if the turn signals are used before changing lanes. The system is still under development for conditions without clear lane markings and overall system reliability.

Ford's Collision Mitigation by Braking system is a technology in development that could help reduce speed in a frontal collision.

Collision Mitigation by Braking (CMbB)
Ford Motor Company's Research and Advanced Engineering group, in cooperation with researchers at the Volvo Safety Center, developed Mercury Meta One's Collision Mitigation by Braking or CMbB system to demonstrate how crash severity can be reduced. The system uses sensors that gauge an impending frontal collision and amplify the driver's braking and then automatically apply additional brake pressure to further reduce the vehicle's speed at impact.

Depending on relative speed and other factors, every mile per hour that a vehicle is slowed before impact reduces the energy of a crash.

CMbB applies automatic braking when it determines with certainty that a collision with another vehicle is unavoidable in both high and low speed situations. Importantly, the function assumes the driver has ultimate authority, and it will not interfere with any potential evasive maneuver initiated by the driver.

Ford's CMbB pre-crash sensors consist of a camera and radar to sense vehicles on the road ahead and an electronic control unit (ECU), which determines whether a collision is imminent based on the position, speed and direction of other vehicles. Using estimates of collision threat and driver intent, the CMbB system provides driver warning and enhanced brake control when needed. Depending on speed and road factors, the braking can automatically reduce vehicle speed by five miles per hour or more before an impact. The radar and camera systems are under development so that the system works reliably in heavy rain, fog and other adverse driving conditions.

"Even a few mph reduction at impact can make a difference," says Priya Prasad, Ford Technical Fellow, Safety Research and Development. "The amount of energy at impact is a strong function of speed, so even a slight reduction in speed offers a significant reduction in force."

From Concept to Real World
Ford has unveiled a number of advanced safety concepts at recent auto shows and later migrated them to production including:

BeltMinder™ - a system that uses warning chimes to remind drivers to buckle up
Personal Safety System™ - a comprehensive suite of safety features including crash severity sensors, seat weight sensors and dual-stage air bags
Ford's Rollover Safety Canopy™ - a system using side curtain air bags that senses a rollover and keeps the air curtain inflated for up to 6 seconds

About the Mercury Meta One Concept
Meta One is more than a safety concept alone. Its name is derived from the Greek word "meta," meaning "transcends" or "goes beyond." In the case of the Mercury Meta One concept, the name connotes the personality of the concept, which transcends the ordinary and the expected in a passenger vehicle. Not only does Meta One foretell the design vision for Mercury's future and suggest possibilities for future safety innovation, it also presents a world-first advanced powertrain plus enhanced electronics and personalization features.

Meta One stretches the distinct sophistication of Mercury's design DNA. The brand's contemporary look is evident on the new Monterey minivan, Mariner SUV and Montego sedan.

Mercury will build a new crossover vehicle in 2007. Meta One explores adaptation of the Mercury design DNA to a crossover and gives a hint of what such a product could represent for the brand. A sketch is being released today. The concept vehicle and all of its advanced features will be unveiled at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in January.
 
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#2 ·
US:Mercury Meta One: Ford concept pairs electric, diesel


Ford Motor Co.

Mercury Meta One has an electric motor and a diesel engine.

Ford concept pairs electric, diesel

Mercury's Meta One vehicle features a low-emission, turbo-charged V-6.

By Eric Mayne / The Detroit News

Is another hybrid in Ford Motor Co.'s future? The automaker is hinting at its possible powertrain plans with the Mercury Meta One, a concept vehicle debuting at January's North American International Auto Show in downtown Detroit.

The Meta One's powertrain combines a fuel-saving electric motor with a twin-turbocharged V-6 diesel engine. The pairing has one big benefit: lower emission levels.

"When a driver makes a high-power demand of a diesel engine, that's when it releases the most (nitrogen oxide), a smog-forming chemical," said David Wagner, Meta One's technology manager. "We're using the electric motor to give you that instant power."

By sharing demand for power between the diesel engine and electric motor, Meta One's emission levels meet California's Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle requirement.

Diesels also emit less carbon dioxide -- a greenhouse gas -- than gasoline engines.

Ford, which is adding two more gas-electric hybrids to its lineup, isn't ready to commit to diesel hybrid technology. But preliminary tests are promising.

"They are very close, from an emissions level -- theoretically -- to what a fuel cell could produce," said Phil Martens, group vice president of North America product creation.

Ford is working to develop vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells. But they're decades away from production.

Diesels, meanwhile, continue to make small inroads, though they face scrutiny from regulators.

Meta One is based on the Ford Freestyle, which blends the attributes of a minivan and a sport utility vehicle. Mercury says it will build such a vehicle, but it won't be called Meta One -- Greek for "goes beyond."
 
#3 ·
Mercury Meta One Concept advances Ford safety technology

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Further on our previous news story Mercury has released the first official photos on its new Meta One Concept which will be introduced at the forthcoming Detroit Motor Show.

Mercury Meta One is an advanced research vehicle concept from Ford Motor Company displaying the evolution of automotive design, research and engineering with emerging safety features, personal electronics and the world’s first PZEV diesel hybrid.

Meta One Design
Mercury Meta One’s name is derived from the Greek word "meta," meaning "transcends" or "goes beyond." In the case of the Mercury Meta One concept, the name connotes the concept's personality, which transcends the expected in a passenger vehicle.

Meta One stretches the distinct sophistication of Mercury’s design DNA by investigating horizontal themes along with the interplay between differing surface treatments. It borrows its contemporary look from the Mariner SUV and Montego sedan.

Mercury will build a new production crossover vehicle in 2007. Meta One explores adaptation of the Mercury design DNA to a crossover and gives a hint of what such a product could represent for the brand.

Advanced Safety Technologies
With a focus on accident prevention, Ford Motor Company is developing safety technologies that warn the driver when a vehicle wanders from its travel lane and even applies the brakes if an accident is imminent. These technologies are featured on the Mercury Meta One, Ford's most advanced scientific research concept vehicle.

Much of the science of automobile safety has focused on passive systems, like airbags, safety belts and vehicle structure that protect occupants during a crash. Ford is researching and applying active safety measures in production vehicles and concepts designed to help prevent or lessen the severity of many accidents.

Lane Departure Warning
Ford's Lane Departure Warning is a mechanized vision system designed to recognize lane markings and a vehicle's lateral position relative to those markings. It can provide a visual, audible and/or haptic (vibrating) warning to the driver if the vehicle departs from a distinguishable lane without activation of the appropriate turn signal.

In the Meta One concept, a right lane departure triggers a vibration to the right side of the driver’s seat; a left lane departure spurs vibration of the left side of the driver’s seat.

In Lane Departure Warning, vehicle position is evaluated by a camera system mounted behind the windshield that measures the lateral distance from the camera's center line to the left and right lane markings. The system works during the day or at night while headlights are in use. Naturally, the system does not warn the driver if the turn signals are used before changing lanes. The system is still under development for conditions without clear lane markings and overall system reliability.

Collision Mitigation by Braking (CMbB)
The Research and Advanced Engineering group of Ford Motor Company, in cooperation with researchers at the Volvo Safety Center, developed Collision Mitigation by Braking or CMbB system fitted to the Mercury Meta One concept to demonstrate how crash severity can be reduced.

Sensors are used to gauge the likelihood of an impending frontal collision. If the driver fails to react to a situation the system determines will result in a collision, the system applies the brakes. This will significantly reduce the impact speed and crash energy. If the driver reacts with full braking, CMbB provides enhanced system response that quickly initiates full ABS braking. Importantly, the system assumes the driver has ultimate authority; it will not interfere with any potential evasive maneuver the driver initiates. The system functions in high speed and low speed situations.

Ford's CMbB utilizes a camera and radar to sense vehicles on the road ahead and an on-board computer, which determines whether a collision is imminent based on the position, speed and direction of other vehicles. The CMbB system, based on its estimates of collision threat and driver intent, provides driver warning and enhanced brake control when needed. Depending on speed and road factors, the automatic braking can reduce vehicle speed before contact by five miles per hour or more. The radar and camera systems are under development so that the system works reliably in heavy rain, fog and other adverse driving conditions.

"A reduction of even a few mph in the speed of an impact can make a difference," said Priya Prasad, Ford Technical Fellow, Safety Research and Development. "The amount of energy at impact is a strong function of speed, so even a slight reduction in speed offers a significant reduction in force."

Meta One Integrates Personal Electronics
The Mercury Meta One concept showcases an electronics system that integrates the latest level of in-vehicle technologies with a factory-installed interface.

Chief among these technologies is "Wi-Fi," the rapidly growing wireless technology used most often by laptop computers. Meta One has a factory-installed wireless "portal" that can be used to tap into a wealth of information and entertainment services.

In addition, Meta One has the ability to receive streaming video entertainment from the SIRIUS satellite network. Passengers in the Meta One can instantly access a range of live video, from cartoons to feature films, through the entertainment system.

The Mercury Meta One concept incorporates three technologies designed specifically to address the ever-increasing pace of change in our lives.


SmartNav Knows the Roads: using next-generation technology to offer real-time traffic data and route guidance.

KeyDA Keeps You Comfortably on Schedule: bringing the almost unlimited personal data of a PDA—from seat position presets to emergency contact lists—in the form of the Meta One’s ignition key.

Reconfigurable Displays Adapt: allowing the driver to size and place instruments to suit preferences and needs.

PZEV-Capable Diesel Burns Renewable Fuel
Designed to be the world’s first Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV)-capable diesel hybrid powertrain, the Mercury Meta One concept not only provides an astounding 431 lb.-ft. of torque but also is 97 percent cleaner than the Tier I emissions standard for NOx. Meta One shows that diesels can potentially meet the strictest emissions standards when combined with modern hybrid and after-treatment technologies.

The Mercury Meta One concept draws its power from a twin-turbocharged V-6 diesel engine and an electric motor in the modular hybrid transmission that together produce as much torque as a large V-10 gasoline engine – with much lower fuel consumption. Combined with an advanced exhaust after-treatment system, the powertrain provides an unprecedented combination of power and purity.

The Mercury Meta One concept’s engine is calibrated to run on a special renewable fuel that minimizes the vehicle’s overall production of carbon dioxide or CO2, a "greenhouse gas" that is a primary contributor to global warming.

In partnership with BP, Ford is exploring the performance of this biomass-sourced diesel fuel. This fuel can be blended with conventional diesel fuel to provide a corresponding reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. Since the fuel comes from biological feedstocks that absorb CO2 during their growth, the fuel is said to close the "carbon loop" because the vehicle’s carbon emissions are offset by the carbon-negative fuel production.









 
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