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New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - car fanatics - 02-07-2012 12:18 PM
Ford
Photo credit: Ford
February 7, 2012
By: CF staff
![[Image: 6836811469_778d12c3a4_b.jpg]](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6836811469_778d12c3a4_b.jpg)
- During snowy and/or wet conditions that cause wheels to slip, the intelligent “torque on demand” all-wheel-drive system on the all-new Ford Escape can send up to 100 percent of the vehicle’s power to the front or rear wheels to better grip the road
- The Ford-developed software behind the all-new Escape with the intelligent all-wheel-drive system reassesses conditions about 20 times faster than the blink of an eye, providing a precise blend of handling and traction
- The all-wheel-drive system seeks to correct understeer and oversteer more quickly and improves traction and handling
- The system provides appropriate front-to-rear torque at all times
DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 7, 2012 – As winter rain, ice and snow slows travel across the country, the all-new Ford Escape’s all-wheel-drive system offers drivers a little extra traction in slippery and snow-ridden conditions.
Advanced Ford-developed software behind the new Escape’s intelligent all-wheel-drive system pre-emptively reassesses conditions about 20 times faster than it takes to blink an eye, readjusting the power split to give the driver the precise blend of handling and traction at all times.
If, for example, the front of the vehicle is on ice and the rear is on pavement, the all-wheel-drive system can send all the torque the powertrain can produce to the rear, putting power where the driver needs it.
“This is a very robust system, tested and tuned around the world in many conditions,” said Joe Torres, senior engineer, all-wheel-drive system development.
Using advanced software and sensors, the system gathers data from 25 external signals, including wheel speed, accelerator pedal position and steering wheel angle, to deliver outstanding driving performance in both wet and dry conditions as well as excellent off-road traction.
Greater confidence when entering and driving through turns is enabled by the technologies Torque Vectoring Control and Curve Control, which are available together for the first time in an SUV in the all-new Ford Escape.
The system always pre-emptively splits the torque produced by the powertrain between the front and rear axles. Splitting the torque offers several benefits to the driver. First, it transfers the power, which means when a driver corners hard, the vehicle will better follow the intended steering path. For example, if the vehicle is understeering – the tendency to go straight when cornering – the system will automatically split more torque to the rear wheels to help counteract that effect and provide more neutral steering.
Second, and new to this all-new SUV, are feedback sensors and software that calculate – based on the driver’s steering angle – where the driver wants to go versus where the vehicle is heading, and make the appropriate split.
An advanced computer uses all the inputs from an array of sensors and data – such as lateral acceleration, driver-demanded torque and steering angle – and processes that information to get the vehicle to turn in the direction the driver wants it to go. The Ford system builds on the pre-emptive actions by adding and subtracting torque as needed through an electromagnetic clutch.
All of these adjustments, corrections and calculations are made every 16 milliseconds, which is about 20 times faster than the blink of an eye.
Both the brains (the control software) and the brawn (the rear axle) were developed in-house by Ford.
The driver can see the power distribution displayed on a screen inside the dash.
The system faced rigorous testing from the mountains of New Zealand to the California desert. Testing included snowy conditions, long mountain passes, extended hill climbs and high-temperature, off-road environments.
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - REVolution - 02-07-2012 12:22 PM
That is pretty neat. :2thumbsup:
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - lengnert - 02-07-2012 12:33 PM
I am starting to warm up to the styling a little more each time I see it.
I would expect that Ford is working hard to keep the Escape in the forefront of sales in the small SUV market. It is this type of engineering that will help that to be the case.
While the Escape has hardly kept up with the times recently, from the outset it did most things so well that Ford left well enough alone.
It is nice that the new Escape will be far from just a styling overhaul.
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - Ix3understeer - 02-07-2012 01:14 PM
anyone know if this has torque vectoring left/right?
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - GotMopar? - 02-07-2012 01:14 PM
Looks good.:2thumbsup: I want to see one in person.
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - All-Or-Nothing - 02-07-2012 04:48 PM
*HINT*
This system will be RWD biased in the new Lincolns...:2thumbsup:
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - McLovin - 02-07-2012 04:51 PM
In cars like this, I am all for all the nannies they can throw at it. I want to know that my wife or kids are safe as can be when driving it, and not just during a crash, but preemptively.
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - McLovin - 02-07-2012 04:53 PM
All-Or-Nothing;178838 Wrote:*HINT*
This system will be RWD biased in the new Lincolns...:2thumbsup:
Yet another reason to have one system, that is completely configurable to any application, and just make it all work right.
Less complexity
Less complexity
Less cost
Did I mention less complexity?
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - The 'Burg - 02-07-2012 05:51 PM
Ix3understeer;178801 Wrote:anyone know if this has torque vectoring left/right?
You must have missed this:
"Greater confidence when entering and driving through turns is enabled by the technologies Torque Vectoring Control and Curve Control, which are available together for the first time in an SUV in the all-new Ford Escape."
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - Ix3understeer - 02-07-2012 05:55 PM
The 'Burg;178851 Wrote:Ix3understeer;178801 Wrote:anyone know if this has torque vectoring left/right?
You must have missed this:
"Greater confidence when entering and driving through turns is enabled by the technologies Torque Vectoring Control and Curve Control, which are available together for the first time in an SUV in the all-new Ford Escape."
I can't read, thanks for rubbing it in. :WINK:
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - redsky - 02-07-2012 06:17 PM
The 'Burg;178851 Wrote:Ix3understeer;178801 Wrote:anyone know if this has torque vectoring left/right?
You must have missed this:
"Greater confidence when entering and driving through turns is enabled by the technologies Torque Vectoring Control and Curve Control, which are available together for the first time in an SUV in the all-new Ford Escape."
Well, Escape is not the first SUV to have that tech.
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - All-Or-Nothing - 02-07-2012 06:26 PM
redsky;178856 Wrote:Well, Escape is not the first SUV to have that tech.
What other SUV has curve control along with torque vectoring???
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - The 'Burg - 02-07-2012 06:33 PM
All-Or-Nothing;178858 Wrote:redsky;178856 Wrote:Well, Escape is not the first SUV to have that tech.
What other SUV has curve control along with torque vectoring???
I think it's going to be a while before you get an answer. Might as well kick your feet up and relax.
RE: New Escape all-wheel-drive system Thinks faster and improves handling, giving drivers more control - redsky - 02-07-2012 06:59 PM
All-Or-Nothing;178858 Wrote:redsky;178856 Wrote:Well, Escape is not the first SUV to have that tech.
What other SUV has curve control along with torque vectoring???
Mitsubishi Outlander S-AWC
Acura MDX SHAWD
Audi Q7 Quattro
BMW X5M/X6 ZF Vector Drive
Porche Cayenne
Other SUVs have curve control too but its integrated inside the software and like Ford they dont advertise it.
