2021 Ford F-150 Has An Available Onboard Scale

Many people who buy pickups buy them specifically to tow trailers for work or play. The all-new 2021 Ford F-150 debuts this summer, and the automaker has announced it will be available with an Onboard Scale. The integrated scale will estimate cargo weight in real-time and indicate the capacity in three different ways.

The class-exclusive available Smart Hitch will measure the tongue weight to ensure that customers properly hitch up their trailer and position their cargo. Proper positioning and hitching of the trailer helps prevents way when towing, making driving safer with the load. Ford will also offer available continuously controlled damping to improve ride and handling both on and off-road, particularly in towing situations. That system also features pothole mitigation technology for a more comfortable ride.

Ford says the smart tail lamps operate sort of like a battery charge indicator on a smartphone. They’re able to display the percentage of payload capacity by illuminating LEDs arranged in a built-in vertical bar. As the truck is loaded, all four lights illuminate, showing it’s fully loaded, and if it’s overloaded, the top lights will blink. The Smart hitch makes loading trailers and calculating hitch weight a snap.

The exact pricing for these features is unannounced at this time. Ford says the new features can be ordered in early June, with deliveries beginning in late summer.