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Improved headlights boost 2021 Ford F-150 to TOP SAFETY PICK
October 12, 2021

Ford F-150 Improved headlights boost 2021 Ford F-150 to IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK AWARD 101221


The 2021 Ford F-150 crew cab and extended cab earn TOP SAFETY PICK awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, following improvements to the available headlight offerings.

The two versions of the F-150, the top-selling vehicle nameplate in the U.S., join the Ram 1500 as the only large pickups to earn a 2021 award from IIHS.

To qualify for either of the Institute’s two awards, vehicles must earn good ratings in all six IIHS crashworthiness evaluations, including the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. They must also be available with a front crash prevention system that earns advanced or superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations.

Headlight ratings are what separate the higher-tier TOP SAFETY PICK+ award from the lower-tier TOP SAFETY PICK. For the lower-tier award, at least one good or acceptable headlight system must be available. For the “plus,” good or acceptable headlights must be standard across all trims.

The 2020 models of the two large pickups fell short of an award because all the available headlight systems on those vehicles earned poor ratings. The 2021 editions of both vehicles are available with good or acceptable headlights at some trim levels, though a poor rating for the base halogens included with certain trims prevents them from earning the “plus.”

Both the standard and optional front crash prevention systems available on both trucks earn superior ratings in the vehicle-to-vehicle evaluation. In the vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluation — especially important for large pickups due to their size and weight — the standard, camera-only Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0 system earns a superior rating, and the optional, camera-and-radar Ford Co-Pilot 360 Assist 2.0 earns an advanced rating.

For both vehicles, the award applies to vehicles built after June 2021 that are equipped with the good-rated adaptive LED projector headlights or acceptable-rated LED reflector headlights.
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Aside from the headlights and Pre-collision systems, the actual crash ratings took a step back from 2015.

The 2015 f-150 had half the HIC rating in the moderate overlap, and no "Acceptable" ratings or sub-ratings in any of the tests.

The old truck tested better than pretty much any vehicle on the road, but it's not good that the new one crashes worse than the old.
 

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Aside from the headlights and Pre-collision systems, the actual crash ratings took a step back from 2015.

The 2015 f-150 had half the HIC rating in the moderate overlap, and no "Acceptable" ratings or sub-ratings in any of the tests.

The old truck tested better than pretty much any vehicle on the road, but it's not good that the new one crashes worse than the old.
They are always updating the testing too, with the last gen it did great at first but they introduced that partial front impact that the SuperCab F-150 failed and Ford made improvements. I suspect if the F-150 is testing worse Ford will do the same. But it's also possible it is as good as last gen, but the test has gotten harder. Not sure which it is though.
 

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Aside from the headlights and Pre-collision systems, the actual crash ratings took a step back from 2015.

The 2015 f-150 had half the HIC rating in the moderate overlap, and no "Acceptable" ratings or sub-ratings in any of the tests.

The old truck tested better than pretty much any vehicle on the road, but it's not good that the new one crashes worse than the old.
I'm sure if you look at the testing standards from 2015 to 2021 the standards have changed.
I'm sure the 21' standards are much stringent
 

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I'm sure if you look at the testing standards from 2015 to 2021 the standards have changed.
I'm sure the 21' standards are much stringent
Yeah that's what I hope. In the grand scheme of things, it still a large heavy vehicle that got passing grades across the board.

But unless they changed seating position, the 35mph moderate-overlap test couldn't have changed very much. Head force readings on the NHTSA frontal impact test were double vs the 2015 as well. I'm guessing it's a new airbag/seating position. Body structure also seemed to have more intrusion on IIHS the small overlap tests this year.

Lucky for me I don't plan to see how my head feels after a 35mph head on, but if I had to guess Ford probably didn't spend much effort on crash testing the truck - the old one did so well that they focused on improving other things.
 

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I don’t understand this (from Ford Authority article in the ratings)

——-
F-150 models built prior to June 2021 did not receive this award as all of the available headlights on those models earned poor ratings from IIHS.
——-

The projector headlights and led reflectors were certainly available on models built before June. I don’t recall any changes made. Is it perhaps that Ford just wasn’t able to get a Lariat to IIHS before July?
 

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For both vehicles, the award applies to vehicles built after June 2021 that are equipped with the good-rated adaptive LED projector headlights or acceptable-rated LED reflector headlights.
Ford doesn't offer LEDs on the regular cab models at any price, which is complete bullshit. It's especially bogus considering the Maverick gets standard LEDs at half the MSRP as my truck. :mad:o_O

The stock Halogen lights are just as bad as my previous truck, a 2006 Silverado. I think the brights are even worse on my 2021 F-150!


I don’t understand this (from Ford Authority article in the ratings)

——-
F-150 models built prior to June 2021 did not receive this award as all of the available headlights on those models earned poor ratings from IIHS.
——-
My guess is that it was an error, modern media outlets can be pretty awful at fact-checking, proofreading and rarely have competent editors.

But it looks like I am completely wrong, since it's right on the IIHS website:

https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/improved-headlights-boost-2021-ford-f-150-to-top-safety-pick

So it looks like a question to ask the IIHS media relations director. The dude's email is at the bottom of the press release.

It might be a good question to ask, since it's possible that the likely error could negatively impact some people's insurance rates.
 
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Improved headlights boost 2021 Ford F-150 to TOP SAFETY PICK
October 12, 2021
Kodi nox
101221.jpg


The 2021 Ford F-150 crew cab and extended cab earn TOP SAFETY PICK awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, following improvements to the available headlight offerings.

The two versions of the F-150, the top-selling vehicle nameplate in the U.S., join the Ram 1500 as the only large pickups to earn a 2021 award from IIHS.

To qualify for either of the Institute’s two awards, vehicles must earn good ratings in all six IIHS crashworthiness evaluations, including the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. They must also be available with a front crash prevention system that earns advanced or superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations.

Headlight ratings are what separate the higher-tier TOP SAFETY PICK+ award from the lower-tier TOP SAFETY PICK. For the lower-tier award, at least one good or acceptable headlight system must be available. For the “plus,” good or acceptable headlights must be standard across all trims.

The 2020 models of the two large pickups fell short of an award because all the available headlight systems on those vehicles earned poor ratings. The 2021 editions of both vehicles are available with good or acceptable headlights at some trim levels, though a poor rating for the base halogens included with certain trims prevents them from earning the “plus.”

Both the standard and optional front crash prevention systems available on both trucks earn superior ratings in the vehicle-to-vehicle evaluation. In the vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluation — especially important for large pickups due to their size and weight — the standard, camera-only Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0 system earns a superior rating, and the optional, camera-and-radar Ford Co-Pilot 360 Assist 2.0 earns an advanced rating.

For both vehicles, the award applies to vehicles built after June 2021 that are equipped with the good-rated adaptive LED projector headlights or acceptable-rated LED reflector headlights.
I think it's a great work overall
 
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Merccat

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So it looks like a question to ask the IIHS media relations director. The dude's email is at the bottom of the press release.

It might be a good question to ask, since it's possible that the likely error could negatively impact some people's insurance rates.
Thanks, I sent the question off and will post if I get a response. In fairness to IIHS, they don’t seem to technically say that the prior to July builds not being included because the lights were not available. Ford authority seems to have simply inferred that because IIHS put it in the same sentence:

——-
the award applies to vehicles built after June 2021 that are equipped with the good-rated adaptive LED projector headlights or acceptable-rated LED reflector headlights.
——

So not sure why it doesn’t apply to most the model year but FA seems to have misinterpreted that line.

I an thinking maybe because ford did add a couple changes to available options for build 2 (ie the scale thingy) maybe in IIHS’s eyes that’s an entirely different model across the board and if they didn’t test a build 1 truck specifically they won’t include it? Or it’s just a mistake.
 

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So it looks like a question to ask the IIHS media relations director. The dude's email is at the bottom of the press release.
I got a response:

——
Ford made changes to the headlights on the 2021 F-150 built after June. I don’t know exactly what changes were implemented, unfortunately, but it often comes down to an aim adjustment when headlights are updated mid-model year. Unfortunately IIHS didn’t have a chance to rate the headlights on models built earlier, so we don’t have ratings for any of the headlight variants on models built before June. So, while the LED headlights were available on earlier models, the ratings we have only apply to models built after June.
———

So there must be something different that causes them to exclude the ones built prior to July… even if that change is as minor as a different aim. I wonder if there is anyone with more insight who could chime in on what would be different. If it’s as simple as aim and if that really is a safety improvement, could we make that adjustment on earlier vehicles?

I assume whatever the change was my truck would have it but it’s hard to say as my build started very end of june but didn’t complete until mid-july.
 

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The outgoing truck was already a Top Safety Pick. Like, my 2019 is a Top Safety Pick but due to crappy headlights it was not a Top Safety Pick Plus, which used to be the differnetiation between good crash test and good headlights (must have the headlight score to get the Plus)

I do wonder about, as stated above, whether a 2020 or a 2021 would be better in a collision as we don't seem to be privy to differences, if there even are any, between the tests and scores over the years.
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