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F-150 onboard scales could change the trailering landscape

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F-150 onboard scales vehicle mode

Ford F-150 gets onboard scales, which measure cargo weight in real time. We absolutely can’t wait to check out this towing technology! (Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company)

Holy crap, y’all. I just can’t help it, my Texan is bleeding through today cause I’m excited! Ford just announced some new technology that could change towing and hauling forever. This groundbreaking tech will undoubtedly lead the way for future trucks from all your favorite brands. So what are we looking at? F-150 onboard scales and smart hitch.

Say what?

According to Ford Motor Company:

  • This summer, the all-new 2021 Ford F-150 will debut available Onboard Scales, which estimate cargo weight in real-time and indicate capacity three different ways.
  • Class-exclusive available Smart Hitch measures tongue weight to help customers properly hitch up and reduce the possibility of trailer sway when towing.
  • Available continuously controlled damping improves ride and handling on- and off-road, especially in towing situations and also provide pothole mitigation technology

F-150 onboard scales

This class-exclusive technology will allow the consumer to estimate the approximate weight of the payload in the truck. This means you won’t have to worry anymore about whether you’ve overloaded your truck’s bed and cabin — you’ll be able to check the on-screen graphics or your FordPass app on your phone.

In addition to these visuals, Ford has added graphics into the truck’s smart taillamps, which act like the battery indicator on your smartphone, illuminating a built-in vertical bar that lights up to show how close you are to max capacity and blinks if your load is too heavy.

For real, y’all.

F-150 onboard scales

This is cool! Graphics on the truck’s smart taillights act like the battery indicator on your smartphone, illuminating a built-in vertical bar that lights up to show how close you are to max capacity. (Image courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)

Is your trailer too heavy?

No more guessing or driving to the nearest scales to find out. The Smart Hitch measures the tongue weight of the trailer and helps you to distribute the weight of the load correctly for safe, efficient towing.

You can enter your trailer info on the center touch screen then the Smart Hitch technology will guide you through distributing the weight of your load, indicating when you have reached max capacity, or if the hitch weight is too high or too low. We’ve come a long way since the days of checking the buggy’s leaf springs to see if the load was too heavy.

Smarter suspension for comfort and control

Yee-haw! The all-new 2021 F-150 will offer available continuously controlled damping which will enhance the ride and handling characteristics. This will be most noticeable when you are towing or hauling. The onboard computer will analyze signals from multiple sensors and adjust the vehicle to each situation by controlling valves in the truck’s shocks.

Ford says the available Onboard Scales, Smart Hitch, and Continuously Controlled Damping can be ordered in early June, with deliveries beginning in late summer.

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Erica Mueller

Erica Mueller is a Texan, which means she believes that trucks are family vehicles and giant SUVs make good second cars. As part-time auto journalist for almost a decade, Erica enjoys driving all kinds of vehicles and sharing her experiences with others. Erica is the secretary of the board for the Texas Auto Writers Association as well as a contributor at A Girls Guide to Cars.

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