DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford Motor Company's latest technology concept vehicle combines advanced accident avoidance systems and intelligent vehicle technology in a modified Ford Explorer. It's called S ² RV, which stands for "Smart, Safe Research Vehicle. "

"The telematics and accident avoidance systems in the S ² RV simplify life for our customers and help keep them safe, " said Dr. Ron Miller, project leader for Intelligent Vehicle Technologies at Ford Research and Advanced Engineering. "Voice control and touch screens access the S ² RV's smart and safe features ." Miller, who holds a Ph.D. in physics from MIT, says an Explorer was picked for the technology exercise because it is America's best-selling SUV, and a popular real-world vehicle in which to test the technology.

Many of the features of S ² RV can be separated into two categories -- those that represent new "smart " technology and those new features that pertain to making the vehicle more "safe. "

Smart features are those pertaining to intelligent vehicle technology or telematics. Telematics is the blending of computers and wireless telecommunication technologies with the goal of efficiently conveying information over vast networks to improve a host of transportation and business functions or government-related public services.

The term has evolved to refer to automobile systems that combine global position satellite tracking and other wireless communications for automatic roadside assistance, remote diagnostics and other purposes.

TELEMATICS SYSTEMS - SMART

The S ² RV "Smart" technology includes:

• Voice System - controls vehicle features including reconfigurable instrument clusters, phone and accident avoidance systems.

• Reconfigurable Displays - allows the driver to choose gauges and instrument cluster presentation, including color and font sizes.

• Reconfigurable Switches - allows the movement and placement of switches and controls to where the driver or other occupants use them most. These switches also create a "plug-n-play " environment for aftermarket entertainment systems, or for assistance technologies such as a hydraulic seat.

• BluetoothT Phone - the voice and vehicle systems access the driver's Bluetooth phone for wireless, seamless, hands-free operation. "Bluetooth" is a wireless technology that connects electronic devices to each other over short distances.

• Tire Pressure Transducers - Radio signals indicate tire pressure and temperature.

• Passive Entry System - This system automatically unlocks the vehicle when the driver approaches the vehicle. Possession of the key fob is all that is necessary.

• SmartNAV -- A smart navigational system that uses vehicle-to-vehicle communication, as well as incident report information from local municipalities, the S ² RV can provide real-time traffic routing for a vehicle's specific location.

When a traffic jam is detected on the roadway in front of the S ² RV, the SmartNAV system will automatically recalculate a route based on the information being gathered from all surrounding vehicles.

The navigation system is also capable of preventing a cellular phone from ringing when traffic conditions become too dangerous for the driver to be distracted by answering the call.

ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS - SAFE

S ² RV "Safe" features are those that improve safety performance by helping to prevent accidents from happening in the first place, but if they do, protecting occupants from harm. Features include:

• Active Night Vision - a laser, invisible to our eyes but visible to a camera, illuminates an area larger than the high beam headlights. An infrared sensor located inside the vehicle just above the rear view mirror views the scene and the clear, high contrast image is presented on a heads-up display mounted on the dash.

• Adaptive Headlights - This technology changes the directional beams of the headlamps to help the driver see more effectively as the direction or curvature of the road changes.

• TrafficView ^TM - forward pointing cameras give the driver a clear view around large vehicles in front. The cameras are mounted on the outboard side-view mirrors and can be monitored in the instrument cluster to give drivers a wider field of vision.

• Wireless Proximity Warning System - When two vehicles in a potential accident situation are equipped with the appropriate sensing devices, the Wireless Proximity Warning System acts as a pre-crash sensing technology to warn drivers of imminent danger

• Accident Avoidance Camera System - a pair of cameras installed in the high mount console, just above the rear view mirror, identify potential collision partners, track their position, speed and movements and then assess the potential collision risk.

• Rear Collision Warning System - Sensors mounted in the rear bumper register vehicles on a collision course with the rear of the S ² RV.

• Retractable Safety Belts - motorized, reset-able, shoulder belt tensioners gently but firmly tighten the safety belt before a collision.

"While there have been technology demonstration vehicles before, there has never been any vehicle with more advanced features than the S ² RV," said Miller. "It is a concept vehicle - to show what we can do. It's not ready for production, but you can bet that many of these features will be seen in the Ford Motor Company vehicles of the future.

The S ² RV was designed and constructed by Ford Research and Advanced Engineering personnel in Dearborn, Michigan.

Ford Motor Company, headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, is the world's second largest automaker, with approximately 335,000 employees in 200 markets on six continents. Its automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Credit, Quality Care and Hertz. Ford Motor Company observed its 100