DEARBORN, Michigan — The Ford Motor Company has announced that it will introduce a collision warning system on 'mainstream models' in 2009, as it leans heavily on safety features in a slugfest with the competition.The automaker said the technology would make its debut 'on certain Ford and Lincoln vehicles next year.' It did not name specific models but hinted that a likely offering would be the Lincoln MKS. 'Collision warning with brake support builds on the basic function of adaptive cruise control, a drive-assistance feature that Ford introduced on the 2009 Lincoln MKS,' the company said in a statement.'Ford will be the first to offer this technology on mainstream models that many families can afford,' said Paul Mascarenas, Ford vice president of engineering, Global Product Development.Such technology has been the domain of German automakers such as Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz has the vaunted PreSafe system, which preps the car in the microseconds before a crash by doing such things as slowing the car down, adjusting the seats and rolling up the windows. The automaker has also been working on a more advanced system that can read traffic signs and transmit their images to a cockpit display in the vehicle.Ford said the collision warning system helps drivers avoid rear-end accidents. 'When the danger of a collision is detected, the system warns the driver with an authoritative beep and a red warning light projected on the windshield above the instrument panel,' said Ford. 'The system also automatically pre-charges the brakes and engages a brake assist feature that helps drivers quickly reach maximum braking once the brakes are engaged.'What this means to you: No word yet on pricing, but Ford is under pressure to make this system affordable to the average family. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent