Ford Accelerates Intelligent Vehicle Research, Creating ‘Talking’ Vehicles to Make Roads Safer

With this "intelligent vehicle" technology, drivers could be alerted at unsafe intersections where their view is compromised or where another vehicle is not stopping for a red light.

• Ford is rapidly expanding its commitment to intelligent vehicles that wirelessly talk to each other, warning of potential dangers to enhance safety and flag impending traffic congestion to help improve the environment
• Intelligent vehicles could potentially help in 81 percent of all police-reported light-vehicle crashes involving unimpaired drivers, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report
• Ford is building the first-ever prototype intelligent vehicles that will tour the U.S. beginning this spring and will provide additional prototypes for the Department of Transportation’s world-first research clinics expected to begin this summer
• Ford is doubling its intelligent vehicle investment in 2011 and plans a new 20-member task force of scientists and engineers to explore the technology’s broader possibilities

Visit the Intelligent Vehicles Media Site

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 26, 2011 – Ford is aggressively accelerating its commitment to wirelessly connected intelligent vehicles – known as vehicle-to-vehicle communications – becoming the first automaker to build prototype vehicles for demonstrations across the U.S., doubling its intelligent vehicle investment in 2011 and dedicating even more scientists to developing this technology.

“Ford believes intelligent vehicles that talk to each other through advanced Wi-Fi are the next frontier of collision avoidance innovations that could revolutionize the driving experience and hold the potential of helping reduce many crashes,” said Sue Cischke, group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

An October National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report on the potential safety benefits of vehicle-to-vehicle communications estimates that intelligent vehicles could help in as many as 4,336,000 police-reported, light-vehicle crashes annually, or approximately 81 percent of all light-vehicle crashes involving unimpaired drivers. Experts say intelligent vehicles could be on the road in five to 10 years.

Ford’s demonstration vehicles will hit the road this spring, starting at major technology hubs across the country.

How it works
Ford’s vehicle communications research technology allows vehicles to talk wirelessly with one another using advanced Wi-Fi signals, or dedicated short-range communications, on a secured channel allocated by the Federal Communications Commission. Unlike radar-based safety features, which identify hazards within a direct line of sight, the Wi-Fi-based radio system allows full-range, 360-degree detection of potentially dangerous situations, such as when a driver’s vision is obstructed.

For example, drivers could be alerted if their vehicle is on path to collide with another vehicle at an intersection, when a vehicle ahead stops or slows suddenly or when a traffic pattern changes on a busy highway. The systems also could warn drivers if there is a risk of collision when changing lanes, approaching a stationary or parked vehicle, or if another driver loses control.

Ford hits the gas on vehicle communications
After a decade of research, Ford plans a new 20-member task force – consisting of company planners, engineers and scientists from around the world with expertise in safety, eco-mobility, infotainment and driver convenience – to accelerate development of intelligent vehicles with features that provide a range of benefits to consumers.

Ford also is doubling its intelligent vehicle research investment, building on the company’s SYNC® and MyFord Touch™ innovations. The goal is to define the next 10 years of safety, convenience and driver assistance, and strengthen the company’s position as the global industry leader in connected vehicle technology.

“While there are challenges ahead, the foundation of these smarter vehicles is advanced versions of technologies that are pervasive – Wi-Fi and crash avoidance systems that Ford has pioneered in mainstream vehicles today,” said Paul Mascarenas, vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering and chief technical officer. “Intelligent vehicles could help warn drivers of numerous potential dangers such as a car running a red light but blocked from the view of a driver properly entering the intersection.”

Speaking the same language
Ford is partnering with other automakers, the federal government, as well as local and county road commissions to create a common language that ensures all vehicles can talk to each other based on a common communication standard.

This public-private partnership will include the world’s first government-sponsored driving clinics beginning in summer 2011, for which the company will contribute two prototype Ford Taurus sedans. The DOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) will head the research, continuing to coordinate with a coalition of automakers organized by the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP), which is a joint research group headed by Ford and General Motors. The partnership is working to develop inter-operability standards in advance of completing the research phase in 2013.

“Ford has laid the groundwork to give vehicles a voice with SYNC and Wi-Fi technology,” said Jim Vondale, director, Ford Automotive Safety Office. “Now we’re working with other automakers and government leaders worldwide to develop common standards globally to bring intelligent vehicles to market quicker and more affordably.”

Vondale has been appointed by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to represent automakers on the ITS Advisory Committee. Mike Shulman, technical leader, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering, leads the government-industry technical partnership as program manager for CAMP.

Beyond safety, endless possibilities
By reducing crashes, intelligent vehicles could ease traffic delays, which would save drivers both time and fuel costs. Congestion also could be avoided through a network of intelligent vehicles and infrastructure that would process real-time traffic and road information and allow drivers to choose less congested routes.

According to Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI) 2010 Urban Mobility Report, traffic congestion continues to worsen in American cities of all sizes, annually wasting nearly 3.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2009 and costing the average commuter $808 in additional fuel. Leading factors in traffic delays are caused by accidents, breakdowns and road debris, TTI maintains.

“The day is not far off when our vehicles will operate like mobile devices with four wheels, constantly exchanging information and communicating with our environment to do things like shorten commute times, improve fuel economy and generally help us more easily navigate life on the road,” said Mascarenas.

Laying the connectivity groundwork
Many of Ford’s current technologies show how intelligent vehicles will be able to help drivers. For example, features that alert drivers to approaching hazards, such as Ford’s collision warning with brake support and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert rely on radar sensors to detect vehicles or objects close to the vehicle.

“Ford has pioneered connectivity in modern vehicles with SYNC,” said Shulman. “We believe advanced Wi-Fi for intelligent vehicles could be added to smartphones or GPS systems and simply connect to SYNC like today’s phones.”

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 163,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://www.ford.com/.

Source: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=33978 January 31, 2011


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 www.parkerford.com.

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Focus on Green

 

 

January 19th, 2011

Ford Focus Electric has a zero-emissions motor, but that’s not where the green ends – and where its eco-friendly features are located might surprise you. For example, in the seat cushions. Soy-based foams, which are used on more than 20 Ford vehicles, will be used inside the Focus Electric, with the cushions shaped from 8 percent soy-based content.

In addition, a material called Lignotock is behind the cloth on the door. Derived from 85 percent wood fibers, this lighter application results in a weight reduction and provides better sound-deadening benefits compared with conventional glass-reinforced thermal plastics.

“One of the more impactful things we are doing is finding a way to increase the use of recycled materials in resins. We have a strategy that specifies the use of a large quantity of post-consumer recycled material in a range of plastic applications,” said Carrie Majeske, product sustainability manager, Ford Motor Company. “Pop bottles and milk jugs eventually become part of components like underbody shields, wheel arch liners and air cleaner assemblies.”

By using more recycled content in resins, Ford can further reduce the amount of oil-based plastics in vehicles. This also cuts down on overall oil consumption. Applications of the post-consumer plastics also include carpets, roof lining and replacement bumpers.

When it comes to building green, Ford, Detroit Edison and Xtreme Power are teaming up to establish one of Michigan’s largest solar power generation systems and electric vehicle charging stations at Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., where Focus Electric will be produced. Ford will work with Detroit Edison to install a 500-kilowatt solar photovoltaic panel system, which will be integrated with a 750-kilowatt energy storage facility that can store 2 million watt-hours of energy using batteries – enough to power 100 average homes for a year.

Several new and innovative production processes at the plant will help make the vehicle even greener, such as a new three-wet paint process that applies all three coats of finish in sequence before oven curing, ensuring high-quality paint finish and a significant reduction in energy use.

With charging playing a major role in Focus Electric ownership, Ford also looked to make the vehicle’s home charging stations greener. Jointly developed with Leviton, a leading North American producer of electrical devices, Ford is offering a charging unit that has an outer shell made from up to 60 percent post-consumer recycled material.

“Focus Electric is the culmination of years of research and development,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president for global product development. “More importantly, it’s the start of an exciting new era for Ford and our customers.”

Focus Electric will launch in late 2011.

Source: http://www.thefordstory.com/our-articles/cars/focussedan/focus-on-green/ Jan 19, 2011

FORD TRANSIT CONNECT TAXIS TO HIT THE STREETS OF CHICAGO AND RUN ON CLEAN-BURNING NATURAL GAS

• First Ford Transit Connect Taxis to be delivered in March to one of the largest cab companies in Chicago
• Vehicles will run on clean-burning compressed natural gas (CNG), which cuts back on greenhouse emissions
• Vehicles include more room for passengers and new features for drivers such as the rear view camera

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 21, 2011 – Ford Transit Connect Taxis will begin winding through the streets of the Windy City in March when a fleet of the alternative-fuel vehicles joins Yellow Cab Chicago.
Taxi Medallion Management purchased the 12 clean-burning compressed natural gas (CNG) Transit Connect Taxis for its fleet. The cabs will be affiliated with Yellow Cab Chicago and bear the company’s logo and color.

The purchase is part of the company’s goal of reducing emissions by 25 percent, said Michael Levine, CEO of Taxi Medallion Management. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CNG is less expensive and burns cleaner than gasoline, resulting in 30 to 40 percent less greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are adding vehicles with more fuel-efficient gasoline engines, as well as vehicles with alternative-fuel sources, to find a vehicle mix that best suits our customers, our drivers, the city at large and the environment,” said Levine. “We are excited about testing this new vehicle.”

The Ford dealership, Packey Webb Ford, of Downers Grove, Ill., will deliver the taxi units to Taxi Medallion Management with an engine preparation package for conversion to CNG.

Since introduced as a production vehicle last year, Transit Connect Taxi is gaining interest from taxi operators around the country. The first taxi was delivered to Boston Cab Dispatch in December 2010.

“During product development of this vehicle, we visited cities across the U.S. speaking with taxi owners, operators, drivers and city officials on the key product attributes they wanted in a taxi,” said Gerald Koss, Ford Fleet marketing manager. “Of course reliability and durability were key, but fuel-efficient powertrains and sustainable solutions also were high on their lists.”

The Transit Connect Taxi package adds comfort for the passenger with a repositioned second-row seat for more legroom, grab handles and a rear ventilation system with passenger controls. For the driver, in addition to the comfortable driving environment, new features include rear view camera and back-up sensor, heavy-duty battery and wiring block connector to power upfitted accessories. The taxis have a 39-foot turning radius that provides excellent driving dynamics and takes the hassle out of tight spots.
The standard Ford Transit Connect – 2010 North American Truck of the Year – features a 2.0-liter I-4 engine that gets EPA-estimated 21 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, an estimated 30 percent improvement in fuel economy compared with traditional taxis.

In addition to CNG, Transit Connect Taxi is available with an engine preparation package for conversion to liquefied propane gas (LPG). Both CNG and LPG lower taxi fleets’ operating costs and are better for the environment.

During its first full year of production, 27,405 Transit Connect vehicles were sold in the United States. Demand for Transit Connect continues to grow as evidenced by the 41 percent year-over-year increase in sales for December 2010.

In addition, several organizations with large fleets purchased Transit Connects including Best Buy, Edible Arrangements, ThyssenKrupp Elevator and DTE Energy.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 163,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit http://www.ford.com/.

Source: http://media.ford.com/ January 24, 2011

FORD COMMITS TO INVEST $400 MILLION, RETAIN JOBS IN KANSAS CITY TO SUPPORT NEW VEHICLE PRODUCTION

• Ford commits to build a new vehicle at its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri after current model Ford Escape production moves to the company’s Louisville Assembly Plant and retooling of the Kansas City facility is completed
• Ford will invest $400 million in its Kansas City facility to upgrade the plant and accommodate production of the new vehicle, while retaining full-time employment of 3,750
• Based on the company’s commitment to this investment level and job retention, the state of Missouri approved tax incentives that played a role in Ford’s decision

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 18, 2011 – Ford Motor Company today announced a further commitment to U.S. manufacturing with plans to build a new vehicle at its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri after Ford Escape production moves to Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant and retooling of the Kansas City facility is complete.  

 

Ford will invest $400 million in the Kansas City plant to install a new body shop, new tooling and other upgrades. In addition, the company has committed to retain 3,750 full-time jobs at the plant – consistent with current employment levels. This includes the positions required to assemble the Ford F-150, which will continue to be built at the facility on a separate line.

 

“This investment and promise of a new vehicle to be built in Kansas City reinforces Ford’s commitment to U.S. manufacturing and American jobs,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. “Investing in our plants, products and people is critical to Ford’s ability to compete with the best in the business. Ford is committed to doing everything it takes to work with its partners, including the United Auto Workers, to remain competitive.”

 

Kansas City Assembly Plant is the fourth North American facility Ford is retooling for production of new vehicles that are at the heart of an increasingly balanced lineup of cars, trucks and utilities. The new vehicle planned for the plant will be announced at a later date.

 

In planning to secure Ford’s future manufacturing presence in the state, Ford worked closely with Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon and the Missouri State Legislature in passage of the 2010 Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act. This legislation provides tax incentives for certified automotive manufacturers that commit to new investments and job retention in Missouri and suppliers who create new jobs in the state.

 

“Today’s announcement ensures that next-generation vehicles will be built right here in Missouri, by the best workforce in the country,” said Nixon. “Last year, we came together to pass the Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act to help our state compete for the production jobs of the future. That hard work paid off. For thousands of employees at Ford’s Claycomo plant, and thousands more at suppliers across Missouri, this news is a big win. We’ll be building the vehicles of the future right here in the Show-Me State.”

 

Kansas City Assembly Plant opened in 1951 and has approximately 3,750 employees. It currently produces the best-selling Ford F-150 on one shift and the award-winning Ford Escape on three crews.

 

About Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 163,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit http://www.ford.com/. 

Source: http://media.ford.com/ Jan. 18th, 2011

Ford leads in the factors that matter most to car shoppers

While consistently a dominant brand, Toyota has lost significant ground to Ford in consumer regard over the last two years, according to Consumer Reports' 2011 Car Brand Perception Survey. Now, the two brands rank a close first and second in overall perception, with Ford having a clear advantage in the factors that matter most to car shoppers: Safety, quality, and value.

The scores in our survey reflect how consumers perceive each brand in seven categories: safety, quality, value, performance, design/style, technology/innovation, and environmentally friendly/green. Measuring across those categories gives us the total brand perception and does not directly represent the actual qualities of any brand's vehicles.

Ford has advanced by 35 points over the last two years to accumulate 144 total points this year. Meanwhile, Toyota has plummeted by 46 points and clings to a narrow lead this year with 147 points. Honda, in third place, has also lost ground, sliding 28 points since 2008.

A brand's reputation as being environmentally friendly or green continues to become a less important factor to car buyers. Only 28 percent of our respondents found it to be an important factor when considering a car. This is down by 4 percentage points since last year and by 12 points since 2008. This drop is probably a sign of the leaner economic times and unwillingness to spend more for green technologies.

Toyota still leads the environmentally friendly/green factor by a large margin, with a score of 46, compared to Ford, in second place at 18. Without that big Toyota victory in the green category, Ford would have clearly claimed the top overall score.

Best and worst in brand perception

The chart below shows the overall scores for the top and bottom 10 brands, according to Consumer Reports' 2011 Car Brand Perception Survey. Overall scores are an aggregate, reflecting a brand's total perception level across seven areas. They are rounded to the nearest whole number. The top five brands in each area are listed on the Brand perception by category pages.

Consumer perception has many influences, from hands-on experience and word of mouth to media reports and marketing. Because it may take time for experience and external influences to shape perceptions, they can be a lagging indicator and a predictor of future behavior.

Brand loyalty favors the domestics

Consumer Reports conducted similar polls during 2010 to measure the effect of the Toyota safety crisis on that brand. We found that consumers maintained strong brand loyalty and positive feelings toward Toyota, though support was flagging over time. Now, about a year and a half since an unintended acceleration tragedy in California threatened Toyota's reputation, we find there has been demonstrable effect on public perception. But purchase intent has not changed significantly.

The leading brands under consideration for the next new-car purchase remain the same as last year, though the order and percentages have changed. Ford remains the most popular make (18 percent), gaining one percentage point. Chevrolet ranks second with 13 percent overall. Toyota slid from 16 percent to 12 percent of consumers stating they are mostly likely to purchase from that brand. Combined, Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, and fourth-ranked Honda (10 percent) represent the majority of purchases that consumers say they are likely to make. When looking at what brands consumers are considering, as opposed to being most likely to purchase, those four brands are the leading purchase choices for nearly three-quarters of respondents.

It's important to remember that consumer brand perceptions often reflect distortions of reality. It pays to look beyond surface impressions and do your homework, especially in the areas that are most important to you.

ConsumerReports.org has a variety of tools that can help you to quickly and efficiently narrow down your choices, based on real-world test results, reliability data, owner costs, and other ratings. We also have recently expanded our premium offerings to include Cars Best Deals Plus, which provides the Bottom Line Price to help you get the best deal, full test-track reports from our engineers, and detailed reliability findings, so you can see what types of specific problems owners are experiencing.

How the scores were calculated

The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a random, nationwide telephone survey Dec. 2-6, 2010, contacting 2,019 adults. The Center collected the survey data from 1,721 adults in households that had at least one car.

Overall brand perception is an index calculated as the total number of times that a particular make was mentioned as exemplar across all seven categories, divided by the total unaided mentions. (Interview subjects were asked what brands exemplified the traits instead of being read a list of brands.) That approach compensates for awareness level, ensuring that every brand has an equal chance of leading a category, not just the best-selling or most well known brands.

Category scores reflect the number of times that the particular make was mentioned as an exemplar of the particular attribute, again corrected for awareness.

Copyright © 2006-2011 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. No reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission.