Once upon a time, a big tough truck was all about mechanical dominance. Today’s trucks don’t rely so strictly on the bigger-is-best doctrine. The Ford F150 is a good case in point. If you were to go back in time, you’d find much heavier parts and materials at work in this well-known truck.

Today, you are going to find that technology has changed the way the Ford F150 accomplishes its work. Some of these changes have happened over the last few years, and other alterations are as new as the 2021 Ford F150 in dealerships now.

Aluminum Takes Over

Steel was the traditional material for trucks. It was tough and helped make the truck tough. This heavy metal did its job through brute strength. There are some major downsides to steel, of course.  First, it can rust. Second, it is very heavy.  

Engineers, using today’s technology, created an aluminum alloy that was as tough as the steel but weighed far less. When the new Ford truck body was introduced, there was considerable worry that it couldn’t do the job. Not only did the F150 succeed with its aluminum body, but Ford has spread the use of aluminum to lighten up its Super Duty trucks as well.

Transmission Refinement

While the typical automatic transmission has six gears, the Ford F150 has ten gears. This allows it to claim better use of torque at high speeds and clever use of torque at low speeds. It has improved how well the truck can tow and how efficiently it can take a hill or climb a mountain.

Engine Refinement

The transmission changes were developed to match the many refinements in the Ford F150 engine.  Ecoboost technology allows Ford to put a V6 turbo in an F150 and still achieve tow ratings equivalent to a V8 in a rival truck.  The key is a high rate of torque which ensures that a load gets moving, even if it must do so up a steep incline.

Fuel Reduction

All of these changes have helped reduce the amount of fuel needed to drive a Ford F150.  Instead of working from just one angle, Ford worked from every angle to achieve better gas mileage for its trucks.  City fuel economy, always the worst for a vehicle like this, was even brought under control.  Stop-start technology can pause the engine at redlights and turn it on again as the driver lifts a foot from the accelerator.  

Crash Avoidance

While safety equipment once came slowly to trucks, Ford is now piling it onto its F150 lineup.  These systems work with the driver to avoid collision scenarios. They even brake the vehicle or help straighten it in its lane. 

Towing Refinement

Towing is one of the most difficult jobs that any truck owner faces.  One problem is road safety. To help with that, Ford developed a blind spot system to watch the trailer. This greatly reduces the chances that the driver will move into the path of another car in the adjoining lane. There are Ford technologies to help you park the trailer with the turn of a dial or hook up the trailer with the help of a camera.  

Adding it up, technology has made a huge impact on the 2021 Ford F150. Yet the driver may not notice. They’ll be focused on the large tablet-like infotainment screen and everything it can do. It’s a good thing the new Sync4 system has improved voice control.