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Testing Ford's new obstacle avoidance system takes nerves of steel.
Researchers take their hands off the steering wheel -- the car automatically brakes and
steers itself out of danger.
The system is intended to prevent collisions with slow or stopped vehicles, or pedestrians,
and is being developed within a European consortium including other car manufacturers and research institutes.
You're driving down the road, and a pedestrian or something comes out from either side of the vehicle
from your peripheral vision where you don't have a good look at it.
Obstacle avoidance can sense that that pedestrian or that object is coming across the front of your vehicle.
If it doesn't sense you responding accordingly in your vehicle by braking or manoeuvring,
it will take over and apply the brakes so that you avoid that collision.
Rear-end collisions are one of the most common forms of road accident, but the new technology
is intended to make them a thing of the past.
The system is designed to be used even in the most extreme conditions.
It uses radars, ultrasonic sensors and a camera to scan the road up to 200 metres ahead.
The results of the research project are due to be presented at the end of the year.