Lane Centering, Lane Change Assist, and the Lane-Keeping System

Lane Centering, Lane Change Assist, and the Lane-Keeping System are advanced driver-assistance features available on Ford trucks and SUVs at Schicker Ford in St. Louis. These features are designed to enhance driver confidence and safety by providing assistance with lane-keeping, lane changes, and alerting the driver if the vehicle starts to drift from its intended lane.

Lane Centering:

Lane Centering reads lane markings to assist the driver in staying within the lane.

The system does not control steering and requires the driver's hands to be on the wheel at all times.

It is not intended to operate on tight radius curves, highway ramps, or lanes that are unusually wide or narrow.

To activate Lane Centering, the driver needs to enable it using the cruise control switches/buttons and adjust the gap setting.

The Lane Centering system will warn the driver if hands are not detected on the steering wheel, and if the warning is ignored, the system cancels and the vehicle slows down.

Lane Change Assist:

Lane Change Assist is part of the Ford BlueCruise 1.2 system and is active when the vehicle is on a limited-access road with a speed over 40 mph.

When approaching a slower-moving vehicle, Lane Change Assist may suggest a lane change to pass that vehicle.

The driver can request a lane change using the turn signal or allow the suggestion to time out.

The system uses cameras to determine if the lane change is safe, and if it's not, the system will not perform the lane change.

After the lane change is completed, the driver turns off the turn signal.

Lane-Keeping System:

The Lane-Keeping System consists of three features: Lane-Keeping Alert, Lane-Keeping Aid, and Driver Alert System.

Lane-Keeping Alert warns the driver if the vehicle unintentionally starts to drift into another lane without using the turn signal.

Lane-Keeping Aid provides steering assistance to help the driver bring the vehicle back into its traveling lane if needed.

The Driver Alert System monitors driving performance to assess driver alertness over time and provides a warning if necessary.

The Lane-Keeping Alert uses vibration pulses in the steering wheel and a color-based graphic display in the instrument cluster to alert the driver.

Lane-Keeping Aid applies steering torque to help the driver steer the vehicle back into the lane and provides visual and audible warnings if the drift continues.

These advanced lane-assist and lane-keeping features are designed to promote safer driving and increase driver awareness, making driving more convenient and comfortable, while also reducing the risk of unintentional lane departures and collisions. However, it's crucial for drivers to remain attentive and engaged while using these systems and to exercise good driving practices at all times.