Ford Motor Company has announced that the all-new Ford Mondeo will be the first car globally to offer a revolutionary new pedestrian detection technology that aims to curb the severity of accidents or help drivers avoid them altogether.

The system, dubbed 'Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection', is able to scan the road ahead via a windshield-mounted camera and a radar located in the bumper for pedestrians who could potentially step into the vehicle's path.

Should the driver fail to respond, the system is capable of automatically applying the brakes. The system's working speed range is touted right up to 80 km/h. 'Active City Stop' helps to reduce the chances of rear-end collisions via the same set of cameras and radar system.

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Other safety features include 'Distance Indication', which uses a visual interface to provide the driver with information on the time gap to the vehicle in front. 'Lane Keeping Aid' applies minute steering corrections to guide the car back into lane under unintended drifting.

On the engine front, the new Mondeo will feature a twin-turbo 2.0 litre TDCi diesel engine producing 210 hp and 450 Nm of torque from 2,000 rpm - it will be available in early 2015. Two more diesel options are available with 150 hp and 180 hp configurations.

Petrol variants are present with four options. A 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine with 125 hp and a 1.5 litre with 160 hp. The 2.0 litre engine comes in two states of tune with one producing 203 hp and another with 240 hp. An ECOnetic Technology model will also be available - powered by a 1.6 litre diesel with 94 g/km of C02 emissions.

A hybrid variant, called the Mondeo Hybrid, will make its appearance as the first Ford Hybrid Electric Vehicle to be assembled in Europe alongside the petrol and diesel models. The engine will be a 2.0 litre petrol mated to two electric motors.

One will drive the wheels while the other will be used to supply regenerative charging. A 1.4 kWh lithium-ion battery with an expected life span of 10 years and 240,000 km service range will also be featured. 'Active Grille Shutter', Electronic Power Assisted Steering and Auto Start-Stop are available across all variants.

Interior features include Ford's SYNC 2 connectivity system with advanced voice control that allows drivers to operate the phone, entertainment, navigation and climate controls by using simple phrases. A segment first - the MyKey feature, allows owners to custom programme a key to inhibit incoming phone calls and restrict the car's top speed amongst other features.

With the exception of the high-powered diesel, all variants are set to go on sale in Europe later this year.