Parker Ford of Murray

Ford Taking it Slow with Self Driving Cars

2012-03-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

Parker Ford loves to keep you updated with the latest Ford Motor Company news! This article comes from pcmag.com:

What's the most important component in a self-driving car? The driver, a top executive at Ford said recently.

Jim Buczkowski, the director of electrical and electronics systems at Ford Research and Innovation, and a Henry Ford Technical Fellow at the automaker, said that the company is "looking at the impact" of future autonomous vehicles.

But, he said, of equal importance is establishing a rapport between the car and the vehicle – both in a case where emergency conditions force the vehicle back into the hands of the driver, but also establishing driver confidence that the car can act independently and safely.

When Google announced a self-driving car in 2010, the concept shocked many because of the total autonomy that Google had built in to the vehicle. But, if viewed on a sliding scale, many cars already have some degree of autonomy: Ford's Collision Warning with brake assist already takes control to mitigate a direct impact. Radar-driven cruise control can match speeds with a vehicle ahead, and parking-assist technology in the 2009 Prius and Lexus models parallel park those cars with minimal driver assistance.

It's not that far-fetched to believe that radar-guided collision warnings, lane departure warnings, lane keeping technologies married with a power-steering system could result in something akin to an autonomous vehicle, Buczkowski said. At the Consumer Electronics Show, Audi proposed an autonomous driving mode under stop-and-go conditions. (For more, check out PCMag's interview with Ford CTO Paul Mascarenas at CES.)

"We definitely are looking at the impact that autonomous vehicles will have in the future," Buczkowski said in a recent interview with PCMag. "It's going to come in stages, and it's very logical to see how conditions like freeway driving will be the first place to see that kind of stuff. So the interesting thing about the effort toward autonomous driving is the knowledge that we're building and creating the processing of information, the fusing of sensor information and so on."

Moving toward the concept of an autonomous vehicle is "a journey, and along the way there's a lot of spinoffs on how we can use the technology to augment and improve some of the systems we have today," Buczkowski added.

To date, Nevada is the only U.S. state to set rules for self-driving cars. One of the state's provisions is that a driver must be in the driver's seat, and can't be impaired to the point that he or she cannot drive. That's consistent with Ford's position, Buczkowski said.

"I think Ford's been very vocal on a strong position that a driver is very important, and that we want to – although we work and support the opoportunity for autonomous – keep the driver connected in some way, and not remove the driver completely from the process," Buczkowski said. "Not letting him take control is not our objective. When the car is running and might be in an autonomous mode and so on, we still want to make sure that the driver can take control whenever he would like to take control, or take control whenever he needs to take control. If the autonomous system says I can't handle this, I want to give it back to you – the driver's got to be in the loop, immediately. And immediately in time to make good decisions."

But an autonomous car must make good decisions, too. A car's systems must be biased, so that they never fail to warn the driver of a problem or fail to take action. "You'd rather have a false alert than a missed alert," Buczkowski said.

The problem, Buczkowski added, is that a car that reacts to an emergency might be occasionally, well, wrong. "The problem with a false alert is that it really hurts confidence in the autonomous system. If I slam on the brakes once every hundred thousand miles you drive – just that once and you will lose total confidence in the system, even though statistically you can say that it's not going to happen very often. But boom, it shakes your confidence."

Ford is doing a "lot of work and testing to establish that confidence," Buczkowski said.

What do you think about self-driving cars? Is it something we should look forward to or approach cautiously?
About Parker Ford Lincoln, Inc. Parker Ford Lincoln Inc., is a multi-President Award-winning dealership in Murray, Kentucky offering new Ford and Lincoln Cars, Trucks, SUVs and Crossovers. Visit us online at http://www.parkerford.com.

Ford Uses Recycled Materials In New Car

2012-02-21T07:34:00.000-08:00

Parker Ford is proud of Ford Motor Company's recycling initiatives! This article from news4jax.com touches on how Ford does this:

Some of the cars, like the redesigned Ford Escape, are made out of some recyclable materials. On average, Ford says 25 bottles of water are built into the interior.

You would hardly expect someone to describe a car at the Jacksonville International Car and Truck Show as a "hunk of junk," but Ford did.

In an effort to be environmentally friendly, the redesign of the popular Ford Escape includes many recycled materials. There is denim in the seats, wheat straw used to reinforce plastics and soy beans that make the headrest.

"Ford's researchers are also working on coconut fiber enforced plastic," Fernando Cenra with Ford Motor Company said. "There's no material that's off limits for researchers. They have great imaginations and great science and they're always at work."

It's unclear exactly what percentage of the car is made out of recycled material, but Ford said on average about 25 used water bottles are built into the interior. In fact, all of the carpeting inside the car is made from recycled plastic bottles.

The use of recycled materials is intriguing to many drivers who said they are more likely to buy a car that's eco-friendly.

"I think it's definitely interesting," Tyler Brown said. "I think if manufacturers can utilize products that we put to waste, then it will be better for the environment and it will reflect better on the company too, as a whole."

About Parker Ford Lincoln, Inc. Parker Ford Lincoln Inc., is a multi-President Award-winning dealership in Murray, Kentucky offering new Ford and Lincoln Cars, Trucks, SUVs and Crossovers. Visit us online at http://www.parkerford.com.

Ford Upgrades Virtual Reality Simulator to Help Develop Future Safety Technologies

2012-02-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

Parker Ford bringing you information on how Ford is working to make our cars safer for you, this article comes from 4-traders.com:

Ford recently upgraded its state-of-the-art VIRtual Test Track EXperiment (VIRTTEX) simulator with improved image rendering technologies and capabilities to study driver performance, helping in the development of safety and driver aid technologies
VIRTTEX has helped in the development of heads-up displays, drowsy driver alerts and lane departure warning technology soon to be available on the all-new Ford Fusion
Ford is the only North American automaker with a high-fidelity, motion-based simulator featuring a spherical dome on top of a hydraulic system to mimic vehicle movement. The simulator was developed in 2001
Upgraded image rendering technologies now provide a high-resolution, digitally projected 360-degree horizontal field-of-view to test and measure driver acceleration, braking and steering performance as well as overall driver reactions in varying conditions

Upgrades to Ford's full-motion virtual test track will help the automaker continue to develop and test active safety and driver aid technologies that warn drivers of imminent collision, drowsiness and other potentially dangerous scenarios behind the wheel.

The VIRtual Test Track EXperiment (VIRTTEX) simulator, which features a spherical dome on top of a hydraulic system to mimic vehicle movement, now has upgraded image rendering technologies to provide a high-resolution, digitally projected 360-degree horizontal field-of-view to test and measure driver acceleration, braking and steering performance as well as overall driver reactions in varying conditions.

"VIRTTEX plays an integral role in helping us develop future safety and driver assist technology, making it essential to keep the simulator current with the latest technology,"," said Mike Blommer, technical lead for the lab. "Coupled with improvements in the resolution and brightness of the projection technologies, as well as improved imagery capabilities, we will be able to boost our capabilities to conduct active safety studies."

The 360-view helps the engineers evaluate driving performance with a complete view of every angle around the driver. Improved imagery creates the most realistic scenarios including other traffic, pedestrians and landmarks alongside the roadway.

Technical advances tested in part in VIRTTEX have included Lane Keeping System and collision warning, which is set to appear in the all-new Ford Fusion available to customers later this year.

Ford used VIRTTEX to examine driver responses and reaction times with advanced early-warning systems such as forward collision warning, a radar-based system designed to help avoid or mitigate the effect of rear-end collisions. The study concluded that certain warning systems may elicit a faster and more appropriate response for distracted drivers.

Ford continues to research numerous types of warnings - including audible, visual and tactile or vibrating warnings - and whether they are most effective alone or in combinations.

This work has already helped determine how soon incident warnings should be used, how intense they need to be, and specific patterns of the warnings in technologies such as the Lane Keeping System. Research to date has shown drivers respond more quickly to certain audible alerts that are more intense, thus more authoritative. Early research also shows some benefit from a combination of warnings - audio alerts backed up by visual warning reinforcement.

VIRTTEX studies are longer-timeframe studies, Blommer noted. The lab focuses on collecting quantitative and objective data, to determine what works best to keep drivers alert and safe behind the wheel. For example, studies show that for similarly performing warnings, drivers prefer subtle warnings such as steering wheel vibrations rather than loud chimes to alert them to a lane departure. The studies focus on how drivers react in certain scenarios and how technologies can help deter potential accidents.

The upgraded projectors are made by Ohio-based Barco and the imagery software is provided by Blue Newt Software of Michigan.

In 2003, Ford conducted one of its first driver distraction studies in VIRTTEX that measured a driver's failure to detect safety-relevant events while doing visual or manual tasks such as retrieving voicemail on a handheld cell phone. The study revealed much higher levels of distraction - glances off the road - among drivers doing such manual and/or visual tasks rather than if they were using some type of hands-free, voice interface.

The VIRTTEX simulator features a spherical dome mounted on a hydraulic system to duplicate vehicle movement. Projectors display a 360-degree horizontal and 45-degree vertical field of vision mounted to the base. The projectors surround the driver to replicate driving scenery, conditions and traffic scenarios synched with the test vehicle's acceleration, braking and steering functions.

How cool is that? Knowing how Ford is taking your safety to a higher level. Can't wait to see more of these features implemented in new cars.

About Parker Ford Lincoln, Inc. Parker Ford Lincoln Inc., is a multi-President Award-winning dealership in Murray, Kentucky offering new Ford and Lincoln Cars, Trucks, SUVs and Crossovers. Visit us online at http://www.parkerford.com.

Ford Fusion, Ford Explorer and Lincoln MKZ Rank Highest in Durability in 2012 J.D. Power and Associates' Vehicle Dependability Study

2012-02-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

Parker Ford wanting to share some great Ford Motor Company news! This article comes from execdigital.com:

Ford Motor Company has six vehicles among the top three in their respective award segments: Ford Fusion, Ford Explorer, Lincoln MKZ, Lincoln MKX, Ford Ranger and Ford Taurus
Ford Fusion received the Midsize Car award for the second consecutive year; Ford Explorer received the Midsize Crossover/SUV award; Lincoln MKZ received the Entry Premium Car award and has received an award in its segment for four consecutive years (Zephyr in 2009)
The study asks owners about problems they've experienced in the past 12 months with their three-year-old vehicles (for the 2012 study, 2009 model-year vehicles were surveyed)

Ford Motor Company's (NYSE: F) continuing emphasis on long-term quality is paying off for its customers.

Ford Motor Company has six vehicles ranked in the top three for long-term durability in their segment in the annual J.D. Power and Associates' 2012 Vehicle Dependability Study.

The vehicles are:

Ford Fusion, which also received the Midsize Car award for the second consecutive year
Ford Explorer which received the Midsize Crossover/SUV award (in a tie),
Lincoln MKZ, which received the Entry Premium Car award (in a tie) has received an award in its segment for the last four years (Zephyr in 2009).
Lincoln MKX, ranked second among Midsize Premium Crossovers/SUVs
Ford Ranger, ranked second among Midsize Pickups
Ford Taurus, ranked third among Large Cars

According to the study, other Ford models such as the Ford Mustang also performed particularly well, although there is no award in this segment.

The study asks owners about problems they have experienced in the past 12 months with their three-year-old vehicles (for the 2012 study, 2009 model-year vehicles were surveyed). Survey respondents were asked to indicate any problems they experienced with their vehicle in the past 12 months, choosing from a list of more than 200 issues in eight diverse categories.

"It's the customers who come out ahead," said Bennie Fowler, Ford Group Vice President, Global Quality and New Model Launches. "The vehicles we are building today are more reliable than ever. Ford has made significant strides over the past few years to achieve world-class levels of long-term quality and desirability."

According to J.D. Power and Associates, Ford models have performed very well in dependability during the past several years. Building vehicles with high levels of dependability is critical in shaping consumer perceptions, but such perceptions are also often based on historical experiences or anecdotes and may be out of line with the current reality. J.D. Power and Associates recommends that consumers gather as much information as they can on the latest models from a variety of sources to make an informed decision.

"The results of this study are extremely gratifying," said Fowler. "The ranking amongst the top 10 brands achieved by Ford and Lincoln speaks to our ongoing commitment to develop and deliver best-in-class products."

About Parker Ford Lincoln, Inc. Parker Ford Lincoln Inc., is a multi-President Award-winning dealership in Murray, Kentucky offering new Ford and Lincoln Cars, Trucks, SUVs and Crossovers. Visit us online at http://www.parkerford.com.

Ford Unleashes New Shelby GT500 Drop-Top

2012-02-13T14:52:00.000-08:00

Parker Ford keeping you updated with all things Ford! This news comes from blog.chron.com:

Ford celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Special Vehicle Team high-performance division at the Chicago Auto Show, first rolling out its initial SVT effort — a 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra, unveiled 20 years ago at the Chicago show.

The automaker also marked the anniversary by introducing its new 2013 Shelby GT500 Convertible. Under the hood of the high-performance drop-top is a 5.8-liter supercharged V-8 engine that generates 650 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque.

The Shelby GT500 Convertible gets a performance edge with new Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers and Brembo brake system. The Bilstein system, Ford reports, allows the Shelby GT500 to quickly adjust from a daily driver to a high-performance track car.

Fitted with the optional Performance Package, the convertible is reported to run nearly 3.5 seconds faster than the outgoing model.

About Parker Ford Lincoln, Inc. Parker Ford Lincoln Inc., is a multi-President Award-winning dealership in Murray, Kentucky offering new Ford and Lincoln Cars, Trucks, SUVs and Crossovers. Visit us online at http://www.parkerford.com.

Ford cites Chicago Plant’s Successes at Auto Show Preview

2012-02-09T06:55:00.000-08:00

Parker Ford keeping you updated with the latest in Ford news! This article comes from the suntimes.com:

Ford Motor Co. executives said Wednesday that investments in the Torrence Ave. assembly plant are paying off for its business and local hiring.

The company has received orders from 40 state and local governments in Illinois for its 2013 Police Interceptors, executives said at a Chicago Auto Show preview. The police vehicles are made at the Southeast Side plant.

Orders for the Interceptor have come from the Cook County sheriff’s police and Illinois state police, said communications director Mike Moran.

Suburbs such as Itasca, Elmhurst, Winnetka and Chicago Ridge also are buying the vehicle. But Moran said no order has arrived from the city of Chicago.

Adding the Interceptor to the Torrence plant’s lineup has enabled it to add a third shift. Ford is hiring 1,200 people for the shift, adding to the 3,700 already at the plant.

Lisa Teed, marketing manager for the Interceptor, said she’s anxious to hear from Chicago. “We have responded to the bid spec request, and I’m sure they are evaluating it,” she said.

A spokesman for Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the city is evaluating bids for police cars from dealers representing Ford and other makes. He said the city will conduct a reverse auction seeking successively lower bids before it makes a decision.

There had been concerns that because of union restrictions, most of the new hires in Chicago would be transferees from closed plants. Moran, however, said only 100 are from a closed plant in the Twin Cities. He said 135 have been hired and that Ford is reviewing applicants for the remaining positions.

Moran said Ford has cut off acceptance of more applications.

The Interceptor has been built since January. It joins the Ford Taurus and Explorer and Lincoln MKS as the plant’s products.

The police vehicle is offered in two versions: a sedan that’s a modified Taurus and an SUV that’s a modified Explorer. Teed said the difference goes beyond the paint job; the police versions, she said, have heavy-duty mechanical components that Ford doesn’t even sell to the general public.

Teed said the cars are a re-imagining of the old Ford Crown Victoria, for years a law enforcement staple. Ford invested in the specialized cars years ago, when the auto business was in deep trouble, to protect its 70 percent share of the police market, she said.

Because the Interceptors are sold via government bidding, they have no suggested retail price. But Teed said Ford is trying to stay close to the average price of $23,300 for the old Crown Victoria.

Ford also Wednesday showed off a new muscle version of the Mustang, the Shelby GT500 convertible. With an optional supercharged 5.8 liter V8, the car delivers 650 horsepower. It was introduced at the Chicago Auto Show on the 20th anniversary of the local debut for a 1993 performance version of the Mustang, a car that featured 235 horsepower.

“This {new} Mustang is capable on the street as well as on the track,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s director of global product programs.

About Parker Ford Lincoln, Inc. Parker Ford Lincoln Inc., is a multi-President Award-winning dealership in Murray, Kentucky offering new Ford and Lincoln Cars, Trucks, SUVs and Crossovers. Visit us online at http://www.parkerford.com.