Twin Cities Auto Show To Showcase New Truck Technology

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Trucks are tough, but that's not the only image you'll see projected at the Twin Cities Auto Show.

The off-road experience is becoming lighter, safer and more connected than ever before.

Technology is driving it all in the F150. The truck already makes up 33 percent of Ford's sales, but now the company is switching some things up.

"The first thing you notice is the outside," Joel Forsline of Ford said, "It's an all-aluminum body on the outside."

That means improved dent and ding resistance -- and 700 pounds of weight saved.

"We'll be able to haul more, tow more, accelerate faster, stop quicker and save fuel," Forsline said.

Changes are coming to the inside, too.

"We have high wattage voltage here. It's 400 watts, so you could charge your power tools," Forsline said.

While getting to a job, the company has improved the truck's safety features.

"It has adaptive cruise control to keep length between you and the car in front of you regardless of speed," Forsline said.

The rear-view mirrors also light up when someone is sitting in your blind spot and its lane tracking system will keep you between the white lines.

If you start to fade too many times, it will tell you to take a break and get some coffee by illuminating a coffee cup in the digital dashboard.

The auto show runs through this Sunday at the Minneapolis Convention Center.