Ford points out that we live in the “Age of Petextrians”. You might not recognize the word Petextrian, but you have seen them around. Petextrians are distracted walkers. They are the people walking around, staring at their phones (and possibly texting). Petextrians are not watching where they are going, so they risk ending up in dangerous situations.
Ford wants to help you avoid collisions with Petextrians. Ford has created a driver-assist feature called Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. Making its North American debut in the 2017 Ford Fusion, the available Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection can reduce the severity of frontal collisions and, in some cases, avoid them altogether.
Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection uses radar and camera technology to scan the roadway ahead and sounds a warning if there is a risk of collision with a vehicle or pedestrian. If the driver does not respond in time, the system can apply up to a full braking force to help reduce the severity of or even illuminate some frontal collisions. Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection is not a replacement for an alert and aware human behind the wheel.