Ford F-150 trucks are hard-working vehicles, and Ford is out to make that work as easy as possible. The automaker announced three new features available this summer that will make hauling and towing easier and safer.
All three systems will be options on the 2021 F-150, available for order in early June. Pricing will come later.
Onboard Cargo Scale
The first is an idea so practical we wonder why it isn’t a standard feature on all pickups. Onboard Scale estimates the weight of the cargo in the truck’s bed in real-time. It displays on the vehicle’s touchscreen or on a mobile phone through the Ford TouchPass app. There’s also a special graphic display built into the truck’s taillights.
Like a battery charge meter, the taillight system works “by illuminating LEDs arranged in a built-in vertical bar. As the truck is loaded, all four lights illuminate, showing it’s fully loaded. If the truck is overloaded, the top lights blink,” Ford explains.
The system can even be zeroed out with its current weight, allowing you to weigh one item by adding it to the bed.
The new Smart Hitch system works similarly, measuring the tongue weight of a trailer when it rests on the hitch. The screen or app “will indicate if the hitch weight is too high or low and can even guide owners through properly tensioning a weight redistributing hitch.”
Finally, a new continuously controlled damping system works to smooth out the ride regardless of the weight in the bed or on the hitch. “A computer within the F-150 analyzes multiple signals collected from high-resolution sensors — adjusting vehicle response to each situation by controlling valves in the shocks,” Ford says.
That system can compensate for potholes. When it detects a pothole, it firms up the dampers so that the affected tire won’t fall as deep into the hole. Hauling and towing modes adjust the suspension to compensate for the weight of the load.
Also see: What is Payload: A Complete Guide
