Ford Motor Company has earned more “Top Safety Pick” ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) than any other automaker with a total of 16 to date. Ford surpassed its closest rival Honda this week when four of its 2009 models - Ford Flex, Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKS and Mercury Milan - achieved “Top Safety Pick” ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Flex, Ford's all-new head-turning crossover, the new Lincoln MKS full-size flagship sedan and the Fusion and Milan midsize sedans build on the company's safety leadership. Ford also has more 5-star government crash test ratings than any other automaker. “Leading the industry in ‘Top Safety Picks' is great news, because IIHS tests are some of the most demanding conducted outside of our own laboratories, and customers are increasingly relying on them when choosing a new vehicle,” said Susan Cischke, Ford's group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. To earn IIHS's “Top Safety Pick,” vehicles must earn the top “good” ratings in the institute's high-speed front and side crash tests, and a rear crash test simulation that evaluates seat and head restraints. An added requirement since 2007 is that vehicles also must offer electronic stability control. Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan excelled in each of the institute's crash tests, and AdvanceTrac electronic stability control is available for each vehicle. The safety system uses sensors to detect and measure yaw, or side-to-side skidding conditions, by monitoring the vehicle's speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When AdvanceTrac senses wheel slip, engine torque is reduced and braking is applied where needed to help the driver keep the car tracking on its intended path. IIHS said “Top Safety Pick” vehicles are “at the head of the class for safety,” and recognizing them as such “helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices without having to sort through multiple test results.” Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan get some of their core strength from the use of lightweight aluminum-coated boron steel - one of the strongest weld-able materials
