Productivity and safety go hand-in-hand. It’s something Ford has kept in mind while stepping up its driver assist offerings for its 2020 Super Duty chassis cab lineup.
F-350, F-450 and F-550 chassis cabs for model year 2020 can now be optioned with audible lane departure warning and pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning. An aux camera input is also available for greater visibility while driving in reverse.
For added safety, automatic high beams come standard while fog lamps are now optional on XL and XLT trims and standard on Lariat. Other driver assist features for 2020 include FordPass Connect 4G Wi-Fi modem along with Sync, which is standard on XL trim, and Sync 3 which comes standard on XLT and Lariat.
Sync connectivity bypasses the need for buying navigation services.
“Now that cell phones and smart phones are so popular Sync 3 comes standard with Apple Car Play and Android Auto,” Ford Super Duty vehicle integration engineer Robbie Calkins explained.
“You can download Waze (a free driving directions app). It allows you to be compatible with those types of apps. There’s no investment needed for navigation. It’s based on the familiarity of the app used by the driver on their smartphone. It’s the technology used every day for personal driving. You just bring it over to your truck. It’s simple plug and play.”
The biggest change comes under the hood where the 6.8-liter V10 has been replaced with a stronger and lighter 7.3-liter V8 that’s mated to a more fuel-conscious 10-speed TorqShift transmission. Both are new for model year 2020.
