Auto Notes: More Police SUVs, Autonomous Angst, Historical Photos
Even though SUV-based police vehicles are common sights on our roads these days, they still look a bit odd after decades of seeing the Ford Crown Victorias doing patrol duty.
We’ll be continuing to get used to the sight, however.
Ford recently noted that the Massachusetts State Police have bought more than 400 of the utility-based police interceptors.
The company has led the law enforcement vehicle segment of the market for 17 consecutive years, despite increased competition from Chevrolet (Caprice, Impala, and Tahoe) and the Dodge Charger.
Ford has revamped its police interceptor lineup since production of the body-on-frame, rear-wheel-drive Crown Vic was halted in 2011.
The company’s family of V-6 EcoBoost engines recently did well in testing by both Michigan and California authorities. The Ford sedans topped acceleration testing, beating competitors’ V-8 sedans. Ford’s SUV also did well against the competition’s all-new V-8 utilities and V-6 sedans.
Interestingly, Ford now is launching a non-pursuit-rated police vehicle with the same 2.0-liter EcoBoost, four cylinder engine we recently tested in the 2015 Mustang.
That four-cylinder engine is rated at 240 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque and gets 24 mpg in combined driving and 30 mpg on the highway. The car also comes with much of the capability of other police sedans, including the 75 mph rear crash test rating, police-tuned suspension, brakes, steel wheels, police interior and “up fit’’ options for lights and computers.
“Not every officer needs a pursuit vehicle and as agencies look to replace older, less efficient cruisers, Ford wants to offer the most efficient—yet still very capable—full-size vehicle available,’’ says Jonathan Honeycutt, police marketing manager.
The other three powertrains (all V-6s) are a 3.5-liter with front-wheel-drive, a 3.7-liter with all-wheel-drive, and a 3.5-liter EcoBoost with AWD that puts out 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque.
“The utility body style meets officers’ growing storage needs, standard AWD is an industry-first that provides greater mobility and security, and the range of engines gives agencies options to suit their needs,’’ says Honeycutt.
Last year (2013), the policy utility vehicle represented 60 percent of Ford police interceptor sales, and 90 percent of those were AWD.
Self-Driving Concerns
What do people around the world think about self-driving vehicles? That’s a question that researchers at the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute asked thousands of people in the United States, the UK, Australia, China, India, and Japan.
Common findings from the countries include:
• A majority of respondents have heard of autonomous (self-driving) vehicles, have a positive opinion of the technology (neutral feeling in Japan), and have high expectations for the technology.
• However, a majority expressed considerable reservations about riding in one of those vehicles, citing concerns about safety issues related to equipment or system failure, and the vehicles not performing as well as those with human drivers.
• Respondents aren’t ready for vehicles without driver controls, vehicles moving while unoccupied, and self-driving commercial vehicles, buses, and taxis.
• While most desired to have the technology in their cars, they weren’t willing to pay extra for it, except in China and India.
Historic Photos
Detroit’s Public Library has more than 32,000 photos online from the National Automotive History Collection.
The archived photos can be accessed, searched, viewed, and enlarged at the click of a mouse. Each image has the year taken, caption information, the size of the original photo, and social media links to Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ to encourage sharing online.
Actual prints are available for purchase at reasonable prices, depending on whether they are for personal use or publication.
“Auto enthusiasts from around the world now have direct access to one of the largest selections of digital automotive photography, thanks to our staff, sponsors, and volunteers,’’ says Mark Bowden, coordinator of the library’s special collections.
The accompanying photo, from the library collection, is from a copy of a Packard company glass negative and shows an 1899 Packard Model A No. 2, a 1-cylinder, 9-horsepower, 71.5-inch wheelbase, 2-person roadster with a carriage top. It’s driven by its first owner, William D. Packard.
The collection can be accessed here.
Surveillance Mode
Police officers now can have a second set of eyes watching their cruiser while they are on the radio or computer.
Ford and InterMotive, a California company specializing in vehicle control systems, are offering surveillance mode on 2014 police vehicles—and making the technology available to competitors and for military applications.
The system, based on radar and vehicle cameras, detects a person approaching the vehicle from behind and automatically sounds a chime, rolls up the driver’s side window, locks all doors, and flashes exterior lighting.
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