Research led to "ice blue," which promotes alertness, as the signature color but Fusion drivers can pick from seven colors of interior lighting and choose the intensity as well.
Lighting is part of a sportier interior for the Fusion with higher-quality materials and detail such as matching inserts in the door panel and instrument panel, said Interior Chief Designer Michael Arbaugh.
"Consumers are usually surprised by the variety," Arbaugh said. "I believe it's a competitive advantage."
Gone are incandescent bulbs that for decades were the mainstay of automotive lighting. Today, not only headlights and taillights use light-emitting diodes, but illumination for the instrument panel, cupholders and ambient lighting use LEDs as well.
LEDs are smaller and package better, are more durable, use less energy and the costs are now comparable with those of incandescents.
When Ford first used LEDs in 2002 for the Lincoln Navigator, they cost $1.20 each compared with about 10 cents for an incandescent bulb, said Mahendra Dassanayake, technical leader for Ford design.
While incandescent bulbs have a lifespan of about two years, LEDs will outlive the vehicles they are in, Dassanayake said, translating into savings and reduced warranty costs.
On the Fusion, the interior switches to ice blue, blue, purple, orange, red, white and green.
Until eight years ago, Ford had green as its mainstay color -- using incandescent bulbs and a color filter -- but it was a raw shade of green that was not very friendly, Dassanayake said. Green is part of the new palette, but the LEDs produce a more soothing shade, he said.
The current Explorer and Edge have the blue lighting, but the Fusion is the first vehicle to engineer placement of the LEDs early in development, Arbaugh said. Ford Fusion LED Daytime Running Lights
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