Team-BHP - Ford EcoSport Toppled by Reviewer

Mod Note : Team-BHP's Ford EcoSport Review has been taken live at this link. Please continue the discussion on that thread.

This incident happened to my friend.

Sometimes too much technology is just not good enuf, Gone are the days of checking the spark plug and tapping the float bowl and get your buddies to push start and the car fires! With that said my good friend Jobo Kuruvilla (Chief Editor at www.drivespark.com) was involved in an awful crash during the Ford Ecosport Goa Media Drive. My friend who was the co-passenger and the Ecosport Driver Mr.Yash a technology blogger are unhurt.

From the horses mouth - The Guy behind the wheels was pushing hard on a S shaped curve, hit the outer line while entering the curve and shifted towards the right lane, and we were headed straight into an oncoming lorry,the driver tried to correct it at that speed, flicked left and slammed the brakes and the car started fishtailing, and knocked a concrete pole (Broke it) and flipped on its side. Airbags inflated immediately, the driver's smart phone was syncd' and it dialed out 108, and he screamed HELP. I by then managed to get out of the Ecosport to get some peace & help! The Ford Team & GVK guys all arrived in a matter of 5 - 10 minutes

The Ecosport for sure has solid safety standards and I'm impressed. I might soon own an Ecosport ~ Let's not forget, I'm the first Indian to test out the Ford Ecosport Emergency Assist and Survive! Its a matter of time and hope Ford makes the emergency assist program a standard feature to its entire car line in India.

As told by my friend Jobo, to me. God, Car and luck saved him indeed!!

I have been informed that the roads were very narrow.

And when the driver tried to correct by flicking to the left and hitting the brakes, a slight fishtail and went straight into the pole, actually the pole saved them. If not, they would have just taken off into the wild. Guess its a strong car because after breaking the pole, and a few flips, the guys walked away unhurt.

Ford cars have a solid build quality and it's no surprise that the driver and passenger survived unhurt though it's sad to see the car in such a state.

Again an example to those that safety features are an important part of the car. No skimping on airbags or abs, high end audio installs can wait but you can't fit airbags later.

It is good to see that all the occupants of the car escaped unhurt and the car immediately sent an SOS for help. Also from the condition of the car it seems not too much of a damage so that gives high marks for the build quality.

I have a divergent opinion if you will. Isn't it unsafe to do such tests which involves pushing the limits of the car on real roads where there can be traffic unconnected to the testing? From my point of view, such a style of driving resulting in accidents can also endanger other fellow road users resulting in fatalities. I understand the need for testing cars thoroughly testing out their limits but isn't it better to do those in closed test tracks?

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d (Post 3125103)

All accidents are driver errors.

Nope.

What do you call when a security gate drops on top of a car due to gate malfunction? that's an accident too right? This happened sometime back to someone I know.

What do you call when an unmindful pedestrian busy on the mobile crossing a busy road gets hit by a car ? witnessed this one too - is this driver error?

Sorry to go off-topic :OT

PS - Nice(!), albeit unintended demo of the emergency assist for Ford!

Thank god that everyone is safe.
From the manner i see how the accident happened, i don't blame Ecosport for the unfortunate incident, but quite impressed with the technology. Even though the govt doesn't mandate the use of any technology for safety, I appreciate the efforts by Ford in bringing in technology assisted safety features.

To put things in perspective - the car hit a pole and toppled . Therefore the impact may not have been of the same magnitude as that of hitting another moving vehicle or even another vehicle for that matter. Of course the air bags worked and the steel frame held up during the toppling.

By the way - why is this thread titled " emergency assist dhamaka"? What's the dhamaka about?

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d (Post 3125103)

All accidents are driver errors.

Your reply had quite a comedic element to it : ).
Assuming you were being serious though. Surely there can be accidents due to unexpected elements ranging from tyre burst to as bizarre as the steering rack coming undone(happened to a close relative of mine this!), brake failure etc. vikram.
I'd rather say that most accidents are driver errors, yes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemanth.das (Post 3125017)

From the horses mouth - The Guy behind the wheels was pushing hard on a S shaped curve, hit the outer line while entering the curve and shifted towards the right lane, and we were headed straight into an oncoming lorry,the driver tried to correct it at that speed, flicked left and slammed the brakes and the car started fishtailing, and knocked a concrete pole (Broke it) and flipped on its side. Airbags inflated immediately, the driver's smart phone was syncd' and it dialed out 108, and he screamed HELP. I by then managed to get out of the Ecosport to get some peace & help! The Ford Team & GVK guys all arrived in a matter of 5 - 10 minutes

If he was my friend I would have given him a piece of my mind for such reckless driving.

You (or your friend and his companion in this case) maybe an auto-journalist out to TD the car but no one gives you the right to push hard on the road. Instead of a concrete pole (which they broke), it very easily could have been an innocent by-stander and would have very easily been dead!

Not sure where this happened, but if this had happened in my city, I would have asked for strict action like arresting the driver for reckless driving.

Shame on such auto journalists.

Quote:

Originally Posted by asr245 (Post 3125214)

Not sure where this happened, but if this had happened in my city, I would have asked for strict action like arresting the driver for reckless driving.

Shame on such auto journalists.

+1 to your comments. If the intent was to push it hard and test, then they have no right to be on public roads. These should be done in closed doors. Both the auto journalists and Ford are to blame and should take responsibility for the fiasco. Thank god that none were hurt in this incident, but, another day, it could have easily had some fatalities. People behind the wheels should first have "Moral Responsibility" towards other commuters, which sadly not may people in India fail to even understand. Government and auto manufacturers should educate people more on the meaning of being responsible drivers.