The Functions of Ford Trail Control: A Detailed Guide

The Ford Trail Control is a new feature from the manufacturer that allows drivers to control their speed and maintain distance between themselves and other vehicles, even on trails. It’s especially effective on off-road trails where maintaining acceleration and braking is a challenge.

Let’s find out how it works, its features, and its benefits.

How Does Ford Trail Control Work?

Ford’s patented trail control system is a game-changer for off-road enthusiasts. The technology allows drivers to maintain speed without using the throttle or brake, giving you greater control and improving safety. With its many benefits, it’s no wonder that this technology has quickly become one of our favorite features.

The system uses sensors to monitor what’s happening along with the front end of the vehicle. The sensors can detect the grade of a hill, how much traction is available, and what might be ahead (such as up an incline or over a crest).

The driver has to do nothing more than shift into low-range gears for off-road driving for the system to automatically adjust speeds depending on terrain conditions (e.g., uphill, downhill, or on a flat surface). However, it’s possible to set the speeds manually.

Trail Control Cluster
You can set the speed manually. (Credit: SlashGear)

The system also uses the brakes and throttle to your advantage if they need to be used, like when you are going over an obstacle in front of you or coming down from a hill.

The Features of a Ford Trail Control System

Ford’s new technology is kind of similar to the highway adaptive cruise control. However, it kicks off only on off-road terrain. It runs in a four-wheel drive system and the driver can adjust the speed between 1 and 20 mph.

After setting up the speed, the system takes over and applies braking and throttle depending on the road conditions. It also includes hill descent control to ease the driver’s workload when coming down from a downhill slope. The system is designed to make your off-road driving more enjoyable by removing some of the work that goes into controlling it.

The Trail Control was first introduced with the F-150 Raptor. Since then, it has been introduced to many Ford SUVs and pickup trucks.

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Benefits of Using Ford Trail Control

There are many benefits to using this technology on trails, including the following:

  • Consistent speed during off-road driving. The driver’s workload is reduced because they don’t have to worry about speeding up or slowing down when going over hills and obstacles in front of them. The system automatically reduces torque and maintains a constant speed.
  • Improved control on difficult terrain. If you’ve ever experienced your vehicle hydroplaning or fishtailing in snow or mud, then you will understand the necessity of the Ford Trail Control. The driver gains more stability over rough trails because of how it reacts to different surfaces.
  • Improved safety and performance on difficult terrains like in snow or mud. Even if the road is challenging, you can stay relieved.

Conclusion

If you’re an off-road enthusiast and are looking for a new toy, give a vehicle with the Ford Trail Control a try. The system allows drivers to stay relaxed on challenging terrains. Controlling the vehicle on steep roads will never be a challenge again with this system.