Video: Ford Enlisted a Bear for an F-150 Pickup Safety Test
Ford used a trained bear weighing about 360 kg to test the safety systems of the F-150 pickup truck. The animal simulated an attack to test the vehicle’s strength and protective features.
The goal was to gather real-world evidence of the new safety package’s resilience.
Sam Harris, Ford Secure’s product director, hid in the Oregon woods while a 360-kilogram Kodiak brown bear attacked a red F-150 Platinum. Tag, a bear famous in the U.S. and Canada, is a trained actor who has previously appeared in the TV series *Yellowstone*, among other projects.
Ford hired Tag to try to “properly” wreck the pickup truck. His trainer built a special platform so the massive animal could rock the vehicle back and forth. The F-150 is a frequent target for criminals, ranking among the most stolen vehicles in America every year.
Ford wanted to demonstrate that its software ecosystem can thwart extreme intrusions. Tag certainly put these security measures to the test. Under the supervision of an animal welfare specialist, the bear scratched the panels, smashed a window, and, surprisingly, opened the door. The thick door handles proved to be perfect for the giant bear’s paws.
“Bears love to destroy things. They love to break things. I was very pleased with how Tag did exactly what they wanted him to do,” admitted Kit Bauer, Tag’s trainer.
During the attack, the pickup truck sent urgent alerts to Harris via the Ford app. Tag triggered the potential intrusion alerts several times by digging his claws into the cabin. Harris watched the chaos unfold via a camera mounted on the bed of the Ford truck. It provides a high-definition live stream with cloud storage.
This footage provides owners with irrefutable evidence for insurance claims, which is helpful when it comes to explaining that a bear broke into your pickup truck.
The software goes far beyond bear attacks. Owners can customize alerts, including notifications for open doors and equipment shutdowns, which help detect tactics used by organized crime. The package includes an engine immobilizer to lock the engine and provides a direct link to the security center.
However, it’s worth noting that while the bear test looks like a spectacular marketing stunt, it doesn’t answer the main question: how effective will this system be in real-world conditions, when attackers use not physical force, but modern technologies—such as relay attacks, signal boosters, cloned keys, and so on—writes Autoblog.
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