Ford Highlights Intelligent Vehicle Potential

From Ford.com:

Ford takes its industry-first intelligent vehicle tour to California’s biggest markets to demonstrate how researchers are leading development of a more sustainable future transportation system


Ford will demonstrate Intelligent vehicles that use Wi-Fi and GPS to wirelessly talk to each other to help reduce crashes and the ever-increasing time drivers spend in cars

Intelligent vehicles could potentially help in preventing 81 percent of all police-reported light-vehicle crashes involving unimpaired drivers, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Report

Traffic congestion continues to worsen in American cities, annually wasting nearly 3.9 billion gallons of fuel and costing the average Los Angeles commuter an additional $1,464 a year, according to the Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI) 2010 Urban Mobility Report; that figure is likely higher today due to higher costs of fuel

Ford’s broader sustainability plan includes a commitment to delivering top fuel economy performance, with at least 12 Ford vehicles – including four 40-mpg vehicles – offering best-in-class fuel economy

Read the entire article here.

Ford Researchers Work On Heart-Monitoring Car Seat

From Ford.com:

•Ford engineers aim to one day reduce the number of accidents caused by heart attacks at the wheel with an innovative new in-car heart monitoring research project


•Ford’s heart monitoring driver’s seat could potentially link with other Ford safety systems to reduce risk for drivers with heart conditions and benefit fellow road users

•Even at an early stage in development, contactless heart monitoring using special sensors provides accurate readings during 98 per cent of driving time for 95 per cent of drivers

Read entire article here.

Ford Researches SYNC Health & Wellness Connectivity Services

From Ford.com:

•Ford researchers demonstrate a series of possible in-car health and wellness connectivity services and apps aimed at helping people with chronic illnesses or medical disorders such as diabetes, asthma or allergies manage their condition while on the go


•Leveraging Ford SYNC®, researchers developed glucose device connectivity and monitoring capability, location-based allergy and pollen reports and voice-controlled, cloud-based health management services

•Ford is working with leading healthcare industry experts such as medical device maker Medtronic, mHealth pioneer WellDoc®, and SDI Health, developers of the informational allergy website www.pollen.com, to develop its initial Health and Wellness connectivity portfolio

Read entire article here.

2011 Ford F-150 Chosen as IIHS Top Safety Pick

The 2011 Ford F-150 has been chosen as a IIHS Top Safety Pick:

•2011 Ford F-150 SuperCrew has been named an IIHS Top Safety Pick for models built after February 2011. Ford now has 11 vehicles on the road that have earned Top Safety Pick ratings


•Ford F-150 features a number of standard safety and stability systems including Safety Canopy® side curtain airbags, AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™), SOS Post Crash Alert System™ and trailer sway control

•The Ford 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ V6 engine represented 37 percent of 2011 F-150 pickup truck sales in April; incoming F-150 EcoBoost orders tracking at more than 40 percent reflect strong consumer demand

•Ford F-150 is America’s best-selling truck for 34 years

Read entire article here.
 
Stop by Lakewood Fordland to learn more about the 2011 Ford F-150.

Ford Researches Potential Usage of Dandelion Roots

Ford and Ohio State are researching the feasibility of using dandelion roots in production of cup holders, floor mats, & interior trim:

•Ford and The Ohio State University are looking at dandelions in a new way by researching their potential use as a sustainable resource for rubber


•A milky-white substance that seeps from dandelion roots is used to produce the sustainable rubber. The substance could potentially find its way into plastic parts in Ford vehicles, including cupholders, floor mats and interior trim

•Potential use of dandelion root as a rubber substitute is another example of Ford’s investment in sustainable materials for its vehicles including soy foam seat cushions, wheat straw-filled plastic for interior trim and recycled cotton from blue jeans as sound-dampening material

Read entire article here.
 
Learn more about Ford's committment to sustainable resources at Lakewood Fordland.

Motor Trend: 2013 Ford Taurus and Taurus SHO Revealed

From Motor Trend:

The biggest news surrounding the updated 2013 Taurus is the pending addition of Ford's new 2.0-liter EcoBoost four to the engine bay, tentatively rated for the Taurus at 237 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. A four in the Taurus? Why not, says Derrick Kuzak, Ford's chief product honcho. With the Edge and Explorer set to get a version of the same engine, it makes sense, he says. And the estimated 31 mpg highway number the 2.0-liter EcoBoost is expected to deliver will no doubt help with the marketing spin.

Taurus buyers still looking for two extra cylinders will be able to select Ford's revamped 3.5-liter V-6, which serves duty as the standard engine. The updated six is estimated to deliver 290 horsepower (up by 27 hp) and 255 pound-feet with slightly better fuel economy, thanks in large part to the addition of Ti-VCT, Ford's twin independent variable camshaft timing tech. Continuing to power the Taurus SHO is Ford's much-lauded 365 horsepower, 3.5-liter EcoBoost, which remains unchanged. All engines will continue to be mated to six-speed automatics, optimized for each engine. All-wheel drive remains an option.

Read entire article and watch a video here.

Find out more about the Ford Taurus at Lakewood Fordland.

2011 Ford Fiesta NADAguides Car of the Month

From NADAguides:

NADAguides, the leading provider of vehicle pricing and information, names the all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta the NADAguides Car of the Month for May.


The 2011 Ford Fiesta was selected as the NADAguides Car of the Month based on the vehicle's quality of engineering inside and out, driving comfort, fuel efficiency, overall value, and wealth of features above and beyond what is expected in its class.

Increased consumer interest for the Ford Fiesta on NADAguides.com also played a role in the vehicle's selection as the Car of the Month. NADAguides' market analysts saw an increase in consumer interest for the Ford Fiesta of nearly 55 percent during the first quarter of 2011, as compared to the fourth quarter of 2010, and expect to see that percentage continue to increase over the coming months considering rising gas prices and the Fiesta's ability to reach 40 mpg on the highway.

NADAguides analysts agree that the Fiesta's tagline – "It's a Pretty Big Deal" – is extremely fitting for this feature loaded, sub-compact vehicle that scored a "Top Safety Pick" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The technology, performance and options of the Fiesta are not typically found in a sub-compact vehicle priced under $20,000, and NADAguides analysts foresee this vehicle making a large impact on Ford's overall sales in the coming months with 2 body styles and 5 trim levels available to car shoppers.

Read entire article here.

Learn more about the 2011 Ford Fiesta at Lakewood Fordland.

Ford Wins Safety Award for Rear Inflatable Seat Belts

Ford has won the prestigiou 2011 Traffic Safety Achievement Award for the rear inflatable seat belts in the 2011 Ford Explorer:

•The already popular new Ford Explorer may get even more looks after its industry-exclusive rear inflatable seat belts received another important honor, the 2011 Traffic Safety Achievement Award


•The rear inflatable seat belts just launched on the new 2011 Ford Explorer SUV – named in January as the North American Truck of the Year

•Ford’s rear inflatable seat belts also stood out at the 2011 Edison Best New Product Award ceremony by receiving the gold medal in applied technology

•New Explorer safety innovations include Ford’s MyKey® teen safety technology – a prior recipient of this safety award – and curve control, which can help drivers maintain control of a vehicle if they drive too quickly into a curve

Learn more about the 2011 Ford Explorer at Lakewood Fordland.