Ford Takes Pothole Tech to Europe

Ford Motor Co. will begin offering its pothole mitigation system on select European models later this year.

The carmaker introduced the technology, which adjusts the shock absorbers to soften the impact of a pothole, in the U.S. about two years ago. In Europe, the system will debut on the next-generation Focus small car before expanding to the carmaker’s larger models.

The system uses 12 high-resolution sensors to identify potholes before the car drives over them. When the edge of a pothole is detected, the dampers are automatically adjusted to the firmest setting so the car’s wheels don’t fall as far into road crevices.

Because the tire and wheel don’t drop as far, Ford says, they don’t impact the far side of a pothole as hard. The information from the front wheel is simultaneously shared with the rear suspension, allowing it to prepare the rear wheels before they encounter the pothole.