Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Survey Says: American Drivers Want Features That Help Make Them More Aware; New Ford Fusion up to the Challenge
According to a new survey commissioned by Ford, most Americans say they consider themselves to be careful drivers but admit they would welcome some extra electronic help when they’re behind the wheel. Even the most attentive of drivers can’t see everything around them at all times or anticipate every hazard on the road.
Customer attitudes evolving
Recently, leading market research firm Penn Schoen Berland conducted the survey of American drivers over the age of 18 to learn more about their attitudes toward driver assist technology.
The survey found that the vast majority of drivers are interested in getting some extra assist features in their next vehicle to help them avoid potential accidents.
“We found the drivers we talked to were definitely inclined toward features that provided real practical benefits by alerting them to potentially hazardous situations they may have missed,” said Billy Mann, managing director of Penn Schoen Berland. “For them, assistance features that increase awareness ranked high among their priorities.”
Even under ideal daytime conditions on a dry road, traffic can suddenly slow or someone can slip into the gap between you and the car ahead. When the sun goes down or the clouds open up, it gets harder to judge what a suitable following distance might be. Nearly nine out of 10 of the survey respondents expressed interest in technology that could assist in slowing their car if it determines there is a potential collision ahead.
Whether on the highway during rush hour, in urban traffic or a parking lot, driving in close quarters with other vehicles can be stressful for any driver. Two-thirds of the drivers who participated in the survey indicated they would be interested in systems that can help them see around other vehicles while backing out of a parking space and detect other vehicles that might be in a blind spot over their shoulders.
Meeting customer demands
“Basic transportation has long been the dominant style in the midsize family sedan segment,” says Amy Marentic, Ford Group Marketing manager. “This survey shows that as consumers have become accustomed to using electronic assistants in other aspects of life, they are increasingly recognizing how technology can help them cope with the stresses of driving.”
Fatigue or inattentiveness can lead to a car drifting out of its lane and eight in 10 of the surveyed drivers expressed interest in a system that could provide an alert or even help to keep the vehicle in the lane. Ford’s Lane-Keeping System uses a forward-facing camera to watch for visible road markings, alerting the driver by vibrating the steering wheel if the system senses the car drifting out of its lane. Fusion is the only car in the segment that also applies a torque to the steering wheel to help nudge the car back into the lane.
“With the emergence of sensor-packed smartphones over the past several years, consumers have become accustomed to using their electronic gadgets to realize real-world benefits such as finding their way in unfamiliar places, figuring out the best place to grab a meal and track their exercise,” says Sheryl Connelly, Ford manager of Global Trends and Futuring. “Advanced driver assistance features bring those benefits to the driving experience by extending the driver’s senses beyond the car.”
While respondents almost universally consider themselves to be safe behind the wheel, the majority also acknowledge that they engage in other activities when they are behind the wheel. Three-quarters admit to eating or drinking behind the wheel and more than half have exceeded the speed limit or used a hand-held mobile phone. Eighty-three percent admit that either they or someone they know has driven when very tired.
Adult American drivers are self-aware enough to recognize the flaws in their own driving habits and express interest in technological aids.
“We see the driver as always being at the center of control of the vehicle,” said Randy Visintainer, director of Ford Research and Innovation. “With improvements in sensing and control technologies, we can now provide unprecedented levels of assistance to drivers.”
While understanding it is critical that drivers always retain full control of their vehicle, Ford engineers recognize there will always be situations where they can use some help, says Visintainer, so they’ve developed a full suite of driver assistance technologies to help mitigate the risks. Until now, it’s only been possible to get many of these features in luxury cars costing $100,000 or more.
Courtesy of Ford
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Ford Supports U.S. DOT and University of Michigan Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications Model Deployment Program
Ford Motor Company’s commitment to development and deployment of vehicle-to-vehicle communications extends to a real-world test site in Ann Arbor, Mich. The test is part of an experiment with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the University of Michigan that will enable future developments in traffic safety and technology.
The yearlong program launching this fall will enable wireless communications among vehicles and roadside equipment for use in developing future safety measures and technologies. Nearly 3,000 vehicles will participate in the test on more than 70 lane-miles of instrumented roadway.
“Ford has been committed to the research and development of vehicle-to-vehicle communications for more than a decade,” said Robert Brown, Ford vice president for Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “We have been a lead partner within the consortium of auto manufacturers and the U.S. DOT working together to develop global standards for safety applications.”
Ford is providing cars equipped with experimental vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology to collect data for the U.S. test. Data collected will be used to evaluate the performance of various safety applications in use and help enhance future development of V2V communications. Consumer feedback for this new technology also will be analyzed.
Click graphic to download PDF.
“Today is a big moment for automotive safety,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This cutting-edge technology offers real promise for improving both the safety and efficiency of our roads. That is a winning combination for drivers across America.”
Ford supports the research effort because the company recognizes the need for all automakers to transmit fully tested standardized messages to each other to help realize potential benefits of this technology.
At the conclusion of this test, it is anticipated the U.S. DOT may consider rulemaking related to these technologies.
Talking cars?
Ford’s vehicle communications technology allows cars 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. The Wi-Fi-based radio system allows detection and then notification of potentially dangerous situations that the driver may not be able to see yet.
The system works by having every equipped vehicle broadcast a short message to nearby vehicles, with information about vehicle position, speed and predicted path of travel. Vehicles with the capability to receive this message may be able to determine if another vehicle is on a path that potentially could lead to a crash.
Ford is rapidly expanding its commitment to intelligent vehicles that can wirelessly talk to each other, when appropriate, to warn of potential dangers to enhance safety and identify impending traffic congestion for more efficient driving.
“People talk about intelligent vehicles, or cars talking to each other, like it’s something out of The Jetsons,” said Mike Shulman, technical leader for Ford Active Safety Research and Innovation. “But it shouldn’t sound like science fiction. Mostly, the cars will be sending messages to each other and people won’t even know about it except on the rare occasions when they need a warning or help understanding what’s going on around their vehicle.”
Global harmonization
Ford is working closely with governments, standards organizations and other global automakers to develop harmonized standards to support and accelerate development and deployment of this technology. Ford and other global manufacturers need aligned standards in order to support their global vehicle platforms and to develop reliable, cost-effective wireless systems.
In fact, Ford also is participating in field trials of other applications of this new technology in Germany and around Europe as part of a research program aimed at advancing vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication on European roads to improve traffic safety and personal mobility.
Specifically, Ford is contributing 20 specially equipped S-MAX models to a 120-vehicle fleet being used to test 20 experimental driver assistance technologies as part of a four-year research project, “Safe Intelligent Mobility – Testfield Germany,” or sim.
“Our participation in this research is pivotal to the delivery of the next generation of Ford driver assistance technologies that will globally benefit Ford customers, other road users and the environment,” said Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president, Ford Research and Innovation.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE The increasing use of wireless communication is part of Ford’s “Blueprint for Mobility,” which was outlined by Executive Chairman Bill Ford during his keynote address at the 2012 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this year. The “Blueprint for Mobility” details the company’s early thinking on how to tackle the issues of mobility in an increasingly crowded and urbanized planet between now and 2025.
Courtesy of Ford
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Past and Present Mustangs, 20 Years of SVT Performance on Display at Mustang Alley for Annual Woodward Dream Cruise
Scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 18 – rain or shine – this high-octane destination will feature more than 800 classic and modern Mustang models from 1964 through the present day, a 20th Anniversary display of Special Vehicle Team (SVT) vehicles, a celebrity appearance by Vaughn Gittin Jr., Ford professional drivers in a “Burn out Box” and finally, a chance to win a rare 2013 Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca for a mere $10.
The annual Woodward Dream Cruise is the world’s largest one-day classic car event. About 1.5 million visitors and 40,000 antique and classic cars from all over the country are expected to visit the Dream Cruise, which stretches from suburban Detroit north to Pontiac in a celebration of all things automotive.
The full Mustang line will be on display, including the 662-horsepower 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, both street and racing versions of the Boss 302, and the Mustang GT and V6 Coupe with Performance Package.
The special 20th Anniversary SVT display will feature new vehicles and classics from the SVT lineup including the new Shelby GT500, 2013 Focus ST, Raptor, several Ford GT models, the iconic Lightning F-150 and many other vehicles.
Mustang Alley is the place to be for performance enthusiasts building Ford-powered street rods and race cars. Ford Racing will have a large display of street and strip crate engines on display. A cadre of Ford Racing technicians and engineers will be on hand to meet with the public and answer detailed technical questions about performance, installation, tuning and other topics.
Courtesy of Ford
Monday, August 13, 2012
Be patient during the break-in period
You’ve bought your dream car and now you want to make it last at long as possible in top condition. Here are some things to remember as you pull it out of the dealer’s lot:
- During the break-in period, typically the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km), keep your speed under 55 mph (88 kpm) or to the speed recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
- Avoid heavy loads on the drive train, such as towing trailers, and loading the roof rack or trunk with heavy construction materials.
- Do not allow your new car to idle for long periods — this is good advice for the life of your car, but especially during breakin. The oil pressure generated by doing so may not be sending oil to every part of your engine.
- Use only light to medium acceleration, keeping the engine rpms below 3,000 for the first few hours of driving.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Ford's MyFord smartphone app updates EV charging station database more than you'll need
Courtesy of Autobloggreen
Monday, August 6, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
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