Chevy Tahoe becomes first 'pursuit-rated' police car with autobrake
Now the fuzz can be as safe as the perps.
Police cars are built to serve a purpose, and thus are rarely equipped with the sorts of frippery that appeal to John and Jane Q. Public. But Chevrolet's determined to find a middle ground with its new police utility vehicle.
The 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle is the first pursuit-rated police vehicle to sport a suite of active and passive safety systems. The PPV's new Enhanced Driver Assist Package adds autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, power adjustable pedals and GM's proprietary haptic seat-based feedback system.
Police pride themselves on being just a bit harder to faze than your average citizen, but additional safety from a collection of sensors and cameras -- and the peace of mind that comes with it -- is always welcome, no matter who's behind the wheel.
It should be noted that there is no standard, independent criteria for what makes a vehicle "pursuit-rated." It's an internal designation, as it is with Ford and Chrysler, to point out police vehicles that, if necessary, could engage in a pursuit. The Smart Fortwos you see in the NYPD fleet are probably not pursuit-rated, unless they're chasing a perp who cannot go beyond a walking pace.
With this new package, it gives Chevrolet an advantage over Ford, which is carving its own path in terms of delivering high-tech police vehicles. Ford has not one, but two hybrid police cars on the road -- one's a standard hybrid, while the newest one is a plug-in with decent all-electric range.