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New Ford Police Interceptor tech protects cops' backsides

It was only a matter of time before law enforcement agencies would realize the potential of driver-assist technology for use in their Ford Police Interceptors, and, now that they have, those back-up cameras and radar systems won't be used just for parking, but for security, as well.
The surveillance mode system works when the camera or radar detects movement from behind the vehicle, and if it does when it's activated, an alarm will alert the officer inside the car, the driver's side window will roll up and the doors will lock, protecting the officer from an unwanted intrusion. The officer, of course, has the option to turn surveillance mode off, mainly in urban areas where pedestrians would constantly set the alarm off, and it can only be activated when the police car is in park.
Randy Freiburger, Ford's police and ambulance fleet supervisor, came up with the patent-pending idea when researching the needs of police officers and riding along with them, during which time he realized officers would be safer with an extra set of eyes watching the area behind their cars, especially at night or when they're completing paperwork, using the in-car computer or handling a radar gun. "Unfortunately, there are people with bad intentions who sneak up on police officers," he says.

Ford driving Alaskan maniac rams toddler-carrying SUV

A couple from Anchorage had a frightening traffic encounter when they were followed and repeatedly rammed by a stranger in a pickup truck. Grace Bernert, her boyfriend, and his two-year-old daughter were returning home from a trip to downtown Anchorage when they noticed a blue, 2001 Ford F-150 following closely behind them. "The guy was so close, we couldn't see his headlights," Bernert told KTVA. Bernert, who was riding shotgun, pulled out her phone to record the truck when it struck the rear end of their Acura SUV. That's when she called 911. Bernert's boyfriend tried to lose the F-150 in the Sullivan Arena parking lot, then drove to a local Ford dealer's parking lot where he drove through a maze of new Ford pickups in an attempt to shake their assailant. "We started doing circles around the brand new Fords because we thought the truck wouldn't be able to turn as fast as we would," said Bernert. "We were right, but the guy didn't care. He just kept hitting the new fords and backing up, coming after us." The truck continued to follow them, ramming the Acura again and again. Bernert estimates that F-150 driver struck their SUV between five and seven times, and hit numerous new trucks in the dealership parking lot. Eventually, they ducked into a nearby neighborhood where they managed to lose the F-150 and called 911. Bernert told KTVA that she believes they were targeted but doesn't know why. "The guy was either some random sick person who didn't care, or somebody who knew us and didn't care there was a kid in the car," she said. Anchorage Police arrived shortly after the couple escaped the F-150 and filed a report about the incident. They are currently investigating. Recent Video:

Here are the best-selling cars and trucks from January 2015

Every month, Autoblog slogs through all the sales figures reported by automakers that do business in the United States, and, after a little bit of sorting, we put it into an easy-to-read chart in an attempt to make it as easy as possible to follow the ins and outs of sales and shipments. But that only covers the brands themselves, not the individual models they sell. And we think you'd all be interested in knowing which vehicles beat their rivals in sales from month to month, so we've put together this handy gallery to keep you in the know. While the leader of the pack may not come as much of a surprise, the order that the top ten finishes in changes frequently – due to automaker deals, the price of gas, etc. – and we've included some statistics to help you see how their current performance stacks up to month's past. Click here to see January 2015's Top Ten Best-Selling Cars And Trucks In America. By the Numbers Chevrolet Ford GM Honda Nissan RAM Toyota Car Buying