New Ford Fusion Takes on Potholes

Ford Motor Co. is launching a pothole mitigation system this summer on V6 Sport variants of its Fusion midsize sedan.

The company says the 2017-model Fusion will be the first midsize sedan in the market to offer the technology, which uses a computer-controlled shock absorber to pre-stiffen the dampers so the vehicle doesn’t fall as far into road crevices. The Fusion V6 Sport is Ford’s first vehicle with standard continuously controlled damping.

Based on input from 12 sensors, the system can adjust the car’s dampers every two milliseconds. When the edge of a pothole is detected, the car's onboard computer recognizes the pothole and adjusts the front dampers accordingly.

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.

Citing a study by AAA, Ford says damage from potholes costs U.S. drivers about $3 billion per year. Some 16 million motorists across the country have suffered pothole damage in the last five years, with the average repair costing $300, according to AAA.

The Fusion V6 Sport will be powered by a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine that produces 325 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive.

Click here to watch a video of Ford's pothole mitigation system.