Tech Talk: BLIS Blind Spot Monitoring

Back when I was in college, I drove a 2001 Hyundai Sonata. It was a great little car and was definitely reliable, besides the paint coming off the bumper making it look like a cow. (It was nicknamed Bertha the Cow in high school.) So one night I was meeting my now husband for dinner. I was at a 4-way intersection with a turn lane. I realized that I needed to be in said turn lane, so I quickly lurched the car over. As I did, a nice little sports car drove up and I hit him on the side. Long story short, insurance covered the accident. But what I'm getting at is that if I had blind spot monitoring, the accident could have been avoided!

Yellow LED ON

Cars nowadays usually have some sort of collision warning. It's a safety standard and prevents SO many accidents. Ford has come up with its BLIS: Blind Spot Information System and let me tell you, it's WONDERFUL. I know first hand as it is equipped in my Edge Sport!

The first feature of BLIS is the blind spot monitor. The vehicle has sensors in the rear sides and the front. It can detect a moving vehicle within a ten foot radius, making it clear that there is or isn't someone you can't see. On the side mirrors is a little icon and when someone is moving in your blind spot area, a yellow led will come on. This tells you, "HEY! Don't cross lanes, someone is near you!" Ford warns that it only detectable on moving vehicles. It will not detect people or animals. Mosyt importantly, shrubbery of sorts will still get hit. Sorry shrubbery.

I just had to throw this in, carry on...

BLIS also has cross-traffic alert. This feature allows you to be aware of any oncoming side traffic when parked. It has a range of 45 feet! When BLIS detects a vehicle, you will receive a notification on the dash and a beeping noise will sound. What's nice about this is it also will tell you whether the vehicle is approaching from the right or left. Cross-traffic alert works both when pulling forward and backing out of a spot.

Lastly, BLIS also utilizes the brakes when coming approaching a vehicle, like at an intersection. The audible will sound as it senses that a car is in your path. Then it will maximize the braking power of the vehicle making the collision as slow and safe as possible. Not only does BLIS save your life, but it also saves the lives of other drivers around you! Pretty neat!

See, if only I had had BLIS in my Sonata! I would've saved a lot of people time and money! Now is it a guarantee that you will never get in a collision? No. Technology is not full-proof and that is why Ford wants you know that we are humans and you must still be fully aware of your surroundings when driving a motor vehicle, and I say in every aspect of life!

If you want to learn more about BLIS, stop on out and say hi and we can show you just how safe one of our vehicles is! Or you can click on this link and read about it: BLIS

#drivevictory