The 2016 model-year Ford F-150 pickup truck’s SuperCrew and SuperCab configurations, when equipped with optional forward collision warning, have earned the Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Ford attributed the truck’s exceptional crash test performance to high-strength steel in the frame; high-strength, military-grade aluminum alloy in the body; and smart engineering.

A cross-functional group of Ford truck veterans created 31 safety-related innovations, including new structures that manage crash forces. These improvements were tested virtually with supercomputer simulations and then retested in Ford’s advanced laboratories.

The innovations include an extruded aluminum roof crossmember and an additional frame crossmember to help improve crash resilience, Ford said.

To manage crash forces in the IIHS small overlap front crash test, Ford created a system of innovations that work together to help protect the driver.

“Nylon hinge pillar reinforcements save weight, and in conjunction with specially designed wheel blockers, work to control crash forces while also providing additional safety,” Ford said.

The Ford F-150 is the only large pickup to have earned the Top Safety Pick designation. To qualify, the truck drew “good” ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests.

“We spent thousands of hours engineering, designing and developing multiple safety features that work together in the event of an accident,” said Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president of global product development and chief technical officer.

The 2016 Ford F-150’s SuperCrew, SuperCab and Regular Cab configurations have also drawn a five-star overall vehicle score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Standard safety features on the F-150 include Trailer Sway Control, SOS Post-Crash Alert, Curve Control, AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control and Safety Canopy with side-curtain air bags. Moreover, the F-150 has inflatable rear safety belts.