Ford Touts 10 Driver-Friendly Features Of The New 2015 F-150

While not a huge secret like the 2015 Mustang, the 2015 F-150 still carries a lot of weight (pun not intended) in the marketplace because it’s the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. We know a lot of things about it already, unlike the Mustang, and Ford continues to let the cat out of the bag little bit little until it’s game-time. Currently the news from Ford are 10 considerations the Ford team thought of so you wouldn’t have to:

1. Hard buttons on keypads: While designers are more adept to tactile feel these days, pickup truck drivers want something that works with their gloves. Hard buttons are also easier for folks with bifocals, Ford claims.
2. Beltline armrests on front doors: The beltline is wide enough for an arm, so why not create a cavity there for you to rest your arm? Don’t worry, folks − the regular armrest is there too.
3. Finger relief for door handle: Ford claims, “When grabbing the inside handle, the hand is already holding the door – a helpful feature to avoid losing control of the door on a windy day.”
4. Clustered buttons: Ford’s research shows that pickup truck drivers like their buttons clustered, so all lighting controls are all on the left, and towing and other controls are to the right.
5. Steering wheel feel: Finger indents allow more control, especially in moments where maneuverability is important, like when off-roading or backing a trailer.
6. MyView productivity screen customization: Different segments of customers use their pickups for different things, so Ford designed the MyView interface to allow owners to sort and organize their seven favorite settings.
7. Entertainment information on the center stack: Cars need car stuff, trucks need truck stuff. Hence, Ford left most of the entertainment items in the middle of the dashboard.
8. Four-spoke steering wheel: Ford’s wheel allows a comfortable grip on the lower part of the wheel − something that’s missing on some competitors’.
9. Grooves on the tailgate handle: One hand is all it takes to open and close the tailgate.
10. Large box step: Enough room for a work boot, and it tucks away if the need arises.

“If I do my job, the customer simply intuits that things are right – both inside and outside of his truck – without even having to think about it,” says Ford human factors engineer, Cary Diehl.