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Ford Demonstrates New Computerized Safety Systems

LOMBARD, Ill. (WBBM) -- Ford Motor Company brought cars and dreams of safer roads to Yorktown Shopping Center on Wednesday to demonstrate new systems that foresee crashes and head them off with Wi-Fi, radar and GPS.

Safety Engineer Peter Hardigan did play-by-play as sensor-equipped Fords drove straight at cars that were stalled dead ahead or pulling out from behind parked trucks and the sensors alerted drivers in plenty of time for a safe stop.

LISTEN: Newsradio 780's John Cody reports

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Chief Technology Officer Paul Mascarenas said the test Fords were equipped with cameras, radar, GPS and Wi-Fi systems, which allow one car to talk to another.

He said this means the driver's vehicle knows another car is dead ahead, over a hill, or coming up from blind spots behind the driver, and provides sufficient warning for a safe stop.

Mascarenas said some of these safety sensors could be installed in cars in three to five years. But he said more work is needed before Ford would let the computer take over the braking from the driver, because computers can be hacked -- which could create, instead of solve safety problems.

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