Ford F-150 pickup to incorporate off-road Cruise Control technologies

ABU DHABI: The Ford F-150 is a pickup that excels at desert driving and moving through rugged terrains.  For a better off-road cruise control, Ford has added a new trail control feature to it that will help the F-150 to manage the throttle and brakes better. Thanks to this new feature, the driver will be able to focus on the steering control fully. The manufacturer claims that it will make driving through uneven roads and deserts more enjoyable.

In case the wheels of the pickup are stuck in sand, the cool Trail Control feature will be able to detect the problem automatically. And it will help  bringing out the wheels easily - no need to dig or shovel! Not only in the desert, this feature will prove to be helpful in rocky or muddy terrains too. Besides helping the pickup to overcome the obstacles, it will enable it to climb steep slopes by directing torque to the wheels. While coming down, the brakes will be applied as required, to ensure a smooth descent.

You will be able to activate the Trail Control with the mere push of a button and to increase the speed from 1 kmph to 32 kmph while it is active. The new feature will come in handy in the two-wheel as well as all four-wheel drive modes - automatic, high, and low. The pickup will also include adaptive dampers that will help achieve a smoother ride.

It will be powered by the 3.5-litre V6 Ecoboost producing a maximum power of 456 PS, a part of the last upgrade made in July. The present model also includes features like Fox shocks of larger diameter and power and temperature adjustable seats which are expected to remain in the upcoming version of the pickup.

The new F-150 with the new cruise control feature is expected to hit the markets at the end of this year. It will probably have the signature colors of Ford like Performance Blue. The manufacturer is yet to declare its pricing.