Posts Tagged ‘safety’

Nothing Says ‘Success’ Like a Five-Star Rating

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

It’s commonly said that you should “protect your investment.” That’s all well and good, but an investment that is really working in your favor is one that protects you.

The 2010 Lincoln MKT recently earned top ratings for frontal and side-impact crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The three-row luxury crossover previously earned a 2009 "Top Safety Pick" award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Ford Motor Company has more Top Safety Pick ratings and more U.S. government five-star ratings than any other automaker.

A winning combination

The all-new MKT is attracting a balanced mix of Lincoln loyalists and new customers with its array of standard and optional crash-protection, crash-avoidance and driver-awareness features in addition to distinctive design, interior spaciousness, craftsmanship and fuel economy.

Since the MKT went on sale last fall, approximately 45 percent of MKT purchasers have traded in competitive models, most commonly the Acura MDX and Cadillac SRX. More than half of those buyers opted for the 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ engine.

Customer interest in MKT's driver-awareness features has been strong as well. Nearly one in three purchasers of the MKT opts for Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support and three of four opt for a package that includes Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert.

Technology under the skin

The Lincoln MKT features Ford's Trinity Front Crash Body Architecture. The energy-absorbing body structure is optimized for strength and stiffness and features octagonal front frame rails, engine cradle/front subframe and "shotgun" front structural members designed to absorb and redirect crash forces away from the passenger compartment.

Lincoln MKT also includes Side Protection And Cabin Enhancement Architecture (SPACE®) to optimize side-impact occupant protection. The SPACE system integrates a hydroformed high-strength steel tube in the floor that runs the width of the vehicle from B-pillar to B-pillar and reinforcements along the rocker panels to help protect passengers in side-impact incidents.

Lincoln MKT also features Ford's Personal Safety System™, combining multiple technologies to tailor the air bag package and safety belt functions to the individual passenger and the accident circumstances. The system can identify variables, such as severity of the crash, weight of the individual passenger and safety belt usage, to adjust air bag deployment force.

For more information:

Lincoln MKT Safety, Driver-Awareness and Security Technologies

Quotes

“Leading the industry in both five-star crash test ratings and Top Safety Pick awards is very significant because customers increasingly rely on NHTSA and IIHS ratings when choosing a new vehicle.”

– Susan Cischke, Ford’s Group Vice President of Sustainability,
Environment and Safety Engineering

“Our research shows that MKT customers are tech-savvy, and luxury vehicle buyers tend to be early adopters of new safety, audio, infotainment and powertrain features. Not only is the MKT packed with standard luxury features and state-of-the-art technologies, it is unsurpassed in its segment for highway fuel economy.”

– Kate Pearce, Lincoln MKT Marketing Manager

“The MKT’s array of advanced safety te chnologies raises the bar for luxury vehicles and pushes the new frontier of ‘active’ crash-avoidance features that help drivers avoid or reduce the severity of accidents.”

– Steve Kozak, Chief Engineer, Ford Safety Systems

Tags: Crossovers, Ford, Ford Motor Company, safety

Posted in Ford Crossovers - text, Ford Safety - text, Lincoln - text, Stories | No Comments »

How Inflation Can Work in Your Favor

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Remember that Reese’s Cup TV commercial from the ‘70s in which Robby Benson of Ice Castles fame is walking down the street eating peanut butter from a jar and collides with Happy Days’ Donny Most who is eating a chocolate bar? That’s right: they get two great flavors in one bite.

Imagine that concept applied to automotive crash protection technologies and you’ll get Ford Motor Company’s latest safety innovation – the world’s first automotive inflatable seat belts, which combine attributes of traditional seat belts and air bags to provide an added level of crash safety protection for rear seat occupants.

The advanced restraint system is designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries.

Ford will introduce inflatable rear seat belts on the next-generation Ford Explorer, which goes into production next year for the North American market. Over time, Ford plans to offer the technology in vehicles globally.

Safer and more comfortable
Advances in air bag inflation and seat belt construction methods have enabled Ford and its suppliers to develop inflatable seat belts that are designed to deploy over a vehicle occupant’s torso and shoulder in 40 milliseconds in the event of a crash.

In everyday use, the inflatable belts operate like conventional seat belts and are safe and compatible with infant and children safety car and booster seats. In Ford’s research, more than 90 percent of those who tested the inflatable seat belts found them to be similar to or more comfortable than a conventional belt because they feel padded and softer. That comfort factor could help improve the 61 percent rear belt usage rate in the U.S., which compares to 82 percent usage by front seat passengers, according National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

How it works
In the event of a frontal or side crash, the inflatable belt’s increased diameter more effectively holds the occupant in the appropriate seating position, helping to reduce the risk of injury.

Vehicle safety sensors determine the severity of the collision in the blink of an eye and deploy the inflatable belts’ air bags. Each belt’s tubular air bag inflates with cold compressed gas, which flows through a specially designed buckle from a cylinder housed below the seat.

The inflatable belt’s accordion-folded bag breaks through the belt fabric as it fills with air, expanding sideways across the occupant’s body in about the same amount of time it takes a car traveling at highway speed to cover a yard of distance.

The use of cold compressed gas instead of a heat-generating chemical reaction – which is typical of traditional air bag systems – means the inflated belts feel no warmer on the wearer’s body than the ambient temperature. The inflatable belts also fill at a lower pressure and a slower rate than traditional air bags, because the device does not need to close a gap between the belt and the occupant.

The inflated belt helps distribute crash force energy across five times more of the occupant’s torso than a traditional belt, which expands its range of protection and reduces risk of injury by diffusing crash pressure over a larger area, while providing additional support to the head and neck. After deployment, the belt remains inflated for several seconds before dispersing its air through the pores of the air bag.

Quotes
“Ford’s rear inflatable seat belt technology will enhance safety for rear-seat passengers of all ages, especially for young children who are more vulnerable in crashes. This is another unique family technology that builds on our safety leadership, including the most top safety ratings of any automaker.”
– Sue Cischke, Ford Group Vice President of Sustainability, Environmental and Safety Engineering

“Ford is pioneering inflatable seat belt technology to help enhance crash safety protection, while encouraging more people to buckle up with a more comfortable belt.”
– Paul Mascarenas, Ford Vice President, Engineering, Global Product Development.

“It’s a very simple and logical system, but it required extensive trial and error and testing over several years to prove out the technology and ensure precise reliable performance in a crash situation.”
– Srini Sundararajan, Safety Technical Leader for Ford Research and Advanced Engineering

Tags: Airbag, Crash Saftey Protection, Ford, Ford Motor Company, Inflatable Seatbelt, North American market, restraint system, safety, Seatbelt

Posted in Ford Safety - text | No Comments »

Giving New Meaning to the Term ‘Safety Goggles’

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

As part of their research into the cause and effects of distracted driving, Ford Motor Company researchers are using high-tech goggles that measure the amount of time drivers take their eyes off the road to help validate in-vehicle technologies such as GPS navigation systems.

The special “occlusion” goggles are used in testing at Ford’s Human Machine Interface Verification Laboratory – or “Distraction Lab.” Ford engineers and technologists use the data to accelerate the safer design of telematics systems that keep drivers connected and informed.

How it works
In occlusion studies, the test subject wears goggles equipped with small liquid crystal display (LCD) screens that rapidly blink open and closed in a regulated sequence while the subject views graphics and text information on a new device such as a navigation screen. Open goggles represent eyes-off-road time, or when the driver is looking away at a device. Closed goggles represent eyes-on-road time.

If 85 percent or more of test subjects are able to complete a task on screen in the time allowed – such as reading and selecting an address on a navigation screen – the task is considered compliant with industry guidelines. However, if the test subject cannot complete the task in time, the function is designed to be locked-out when the vehicle is in motion, and can only be operated when the vehicle is stopped.

Thanks in part to occlusion testing, the information displayed on Ford’s latest-generation navigation system is purposely limited to comply with industry guidelines and help reduce the risk of driver distraction.

The hands-free, voice-operated advantage
Occlusion testing also was instrumental in determining the appropriate amount of information provided to drivers who use the latest SYNC application – Traffic, Directions & Information (TDI).

The feature leverages SYNC’s industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS and Bluetooth-capable phones to provide simple hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather. This information is provided through the car’s audio entertainment speakers, allowing the driver to keep hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

A recent study showed that SYNC, Ford’s fully integrated voice-operated in-car communications and entertainment system, significantly reduced the level of distraction when test participants selected a phone number or chose a song on their MP3 player compared with the same operations using hand-held cell phones and music players. For example, the research conducted by Ford shows study participants spent an average of 25 seconds with their eyes off the road to select a song with a hand-held MP3 player compared with two seconds for those choosing a song using SYNC. Read more about this and other related research here.

Quotes
“Occlusion testing is faster and a lot more efficient than other methods for determining eyes-off-road time and the potential for visual distraction. In the past, we used occlusion testing primarily to verify other research, but over the past couple of years we’ve been able to develop test models with the technology that allows us to rapidly complete research faster than ever before.”
– John Shutko, Ford Technical Specialist in Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics

“Studies show voice-operated systems like SYNC offer significant safety benefits over hand-held manual devices. If people are going to use nomadic devices – and there’s no reason to believe that they will stop – Ford wants to offer our customers a safer way to use them, through SYNC.”
– Dr. Louis Tijerina, Ford Senior Technical Specialist

Tags: Direction & Information (TDI), Ford, Ford Motor Company, GPS, safety, SYNC, Technology, Traffic

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A Smashing Success: 2010 Ford Taurus Earns IIHS ‘Top Safety Pick’

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

The competition will be crushed to learn that the new 2010 Taurus has earned “Top Safety Pick” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), adding to Ford Motor Company’s leading number of IIHS “Top Safety Pick” ratings.

The new Taurus offers a comprehensive package of crash-protection features, including dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, side impact air bags and Safety Canopy®, and crash-avoidance features including a segment-first, radar-based forward collision warning system that help drivers avoid accidents.

State-of-the-art Safety
The new Taurus offers an array of advanced safety technologies. Even the air bag systems are state of the art. Taurus’s side air bag systems use pressure pulses from a side impact and are designed to deploy up to 30 percent earlier than a traditional air bag system that uses acceleration-based sensors. Pressure-based sensors help predict crash forces before the full impact occurs and more accurately measure crash severity to better differentiate between a potentially dangerous air bag-deployable crash and common, relatively harmless daily abuse that would not require air bag protection.

Other key safety features include:

Side Protection And Cabin Enhancement (SPACE®) Architecture is comprised of a hydroformed cross-car beam embedded in the floor between the door frames, providing additional strength in the side of the vehicle. In the event of a side impact, the beam helps divert crash forces away from the occupants. A strong roof cross member and side impact door beams work with the floor-mounted tube to further improve side impact protection. Ultra high-strength boron steel has been added to the B-pillar, as well.
Trinity Front Crash Architecture is a body structure optimized for strength and stiffness. The energy-absorbing structure features octagonal front frame rails, engine cradle/front sub-frame and “shotgun” front structural members designed to absorb and redirect crash forces away from the passenger compartment.
Personal Safety System™ is designed to help reduce the risk of injury to the driver and front seat passenger in the event of a moderate to severe frontal collision. Sensors note right front occupant weight, safety belt usage, outboard seat belt tension and seating position to optimize air bag deployment force for occupant safety.
AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control constantly monitors road conditions and the driver’s responses., using sensors to detect and measure oversteer and yaw, while continuously monitoring vehicle speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When the system senses a loss of wheel traction, engine torque is reduced and braking is applied in conjunction with the standard Anti-lock Braking (ABS) system. The system also incorporates traction control to aid drivers when operating the vehicle on loose or slippery surfaces.
SOS Post-Crash Alert System™ is an integrated technology that automatically unlocks the doors and activates the emergency flashers in the event of an air bag deployment.
Safety Canopy® is a Ford exclusive protection system featuring side curtain air bags that help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollover and side impact crashes.

More Driver-Aid and Safety Technologies
Tech-savvy customers will find plenty to like about the new 2010 Taurus. Its technologies enable customer connectivity, while fulfilling desires for personalization, customization and control. This list of driver aid and safety features isn’t just technology for the sake of technology. These offerings have been selected and developed to provide the ultimate in comfort and convenience for the driver and all passengers:

Adaptive Cruise Control allows the driver to set the vehicle cruising speed while using radar technology to monitor traffic travelling up to 600 feet ahead, automatically adjusting Taurus speed to help maintain a safe distance between vehicles.
Collision Warning with Brake Support is a new active feature, enabled by Adaptive Cruise Control. This system uses a radar sensor to detect moving vehicles ahead and provides a visual “heads-up” warning signal transmitted across the base of the windshield and an audible warning when slower moving traffic is detected ahead. The system also pre-charges the brakes and engages an electronic brake assist to help the driver stop more quickly.
SecuriCode™ Keyless Entry Keypad enables vehicle access by unlocking the driver’s door using a five-digit code on the new keypad system flush-mounted in the driver’s side B-pillar.
MyKey™ allows parents or fleet administrators to activate a restricted driving mode. When enabled, MyKey features a Persistent Belt-Minder® with Audio Mute until safety belts are buckled, an earlier low-fuel warning, and engaged AdvanceTrac® stability control, Blind Spot monitoring, Cross Traffic Alert and Forward Collision Warning. Additional programmability includes restrictions on audio volume, limiting top speed to 80 mph and speed chime warnings at 45, 55, or 65mph.
Auto High Beams/Rain-Sensing Wipers harness sensor technologies to switch headlights to high intensity when no other vehicles are detected, in a range of up to 500 feet for taillight detection, and up to 2,000 feet for oncoming headlight detection. Rain-sensing wipers use an advanced optical sensor to detect the intensity of rain and/or snowfall to adjust wiper speed.
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) consists of two multiple beam radar modules, one each per rear quarter panel. When the sensors detect an approaching vehicle entering the defined blind spot zone, an indicator alert provides warning to the driver in the corresponding side view mirror.
Cross Traffic Alert uses the existing BLIS radar modules to sense oncoming traffic when slowly backing out of a parking spot. This industry-exclusive system functions only while the vehicle is in reverse and warns when cross-traffic is detected within three car widths.
Ford SYNC® is the fully integrated, in-vehicle voice-activated communications and entertainment system, with 911 Assist™, Vehicle Health Report and GPS-based features including business search and call completion. SYNC connects to MP3 players, iPods, memory sticks and PDAs. SYNC’s 911 Assist will place a call to a local emergency operator in the event of an air bag deployment incident when a cell phone is properly paired, turned on and connected to SYNC and the vehicle has battery power. The latest version of SYNC adds Traffic, Directions and Information, providing turn-by-turn route guidance, and the ability to access content by personalized favorites such as region, subject matter or sports team.
Voice-Activated Navigation System with SIRIUS® Travel Link™ uses an 8-inch screen to present a birds-eye-view map with 3D landmarks. The system responds to voice commands for destination programming and route selection. In addition, it provides enhanced route guidance features such as street name announcements and detailed freeway exit, turn and ramp position lane guidance. The screen can be personalized with up to 32 pictures, sized up to 1.5 MB each. The system also incorporates the SIRIUS Travel Link, offering availability of current weather and ski conditions, a five-day forecast, local fuel pricing by cost per gallon and brand, sports scores and movie listings.

Quotes
“The new Taurus is Ford’s safety flagship with a ‘Top Safety Pick,’ crash-protection and crash avoidance features that you may not find in luxury vehicles that cost twice as much.”
– Sue Cischke, Ford Group Vice President of Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

“A stiffer body structure and new crash avoidance technologies make the Taurus – already named the safest full-size sedan – even safer.”
– Pete Reyes, Chief Engineer, Ford Taurus

“The new Taurus builds on the 2009 model’s tremendous safety record by adding even more state-of-the-art crash avoidance and crash protection technologies. You would be hard pressed to find a better-equipped driver aid and safety package in a full-size sedan.”
– Steve Kozak, Chief Engineer, Ford Safety Systems

Tags: Ford, Ford Motor Company, safety, Taurus

Posted in A Year In Review: 2009, Ford Safety - text, Ford Taurus - text | No Comments »

WILL IT BLEND? FORD FIESTA’S ULTRA-HIGH-STRENGTH BORON STEEL BEATS YOUTUBE BLENDER TEST

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

Don’t try this at home! Having decimated objects including an Apple iPhone, marbles and magnets, Blendtec®, maker of the Total Blender®, recently tried but failed to crack, cut or crush a piece of boron steel used in the Ford Fiesta on its “Will It Blend?” viral YouTube video. While boron steel won’t blend, it will help protect occupants of the Fiesta and many other Ford vehicles.

It’s Strength is Elemental

Has there ever been an element better named than boron? Antimony? That’s a Greek goddess, right? Californium? Don’t the USC Trojans play there? And isn’t Xenon an alien planet?

The chemists who named boron, on the other hand, hit the nail on the head. It actually sounds strong, hard and elemental – like iron or krypton. It’s probably some superhero’s Achilles’ heel.

Boron is used to make steel super strong, which is what Blendtec found out the hard way. The element is used to strengthen car parts, aerospace structures, even golf clubs and fishing rods. It is extremely versatile, serving an array of household and industrial uses.

Boron is used in:

Detergents
Antiseptic
Cosmetics
Insecticides
Enamel glaze
Ceramics
Glass
Pyrotechnics
Rocket fuel
Flame retardant
Nuclear reactors
Punching tools
Spades
Knives and saw blades

According to Wikipedia, boron is relatively rare, representing only 0.001 percent of the Earth’s crust. The worldwide deposits are estimated as 10 million tons, with nearly three quarters of it coming from Turkey. The element also is found in the Mojave Desert in California. Nearly all boron ore is extracted for refinement into boric acid for antiseptic, insecticide and flame retardant, or borax for detergents, cosmetics and enamel glazes.

Boron and Beyond

Ford uses boron and other ultra-high-strength lightweight steels in various structural areas on several of its current models, including the Ford Taurus, Flex, Mustang, Transit Connect, F-150 and Focus, as well as the Lincoln MKS. Boron will also be extensively used in the all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta to help protect occupants in the event of a collision.

The Fiesta uses an exceptionally high level of cold- and hot-formed high-strength steels in its body structure. More than 50 percent of the body structure is high-strength steel, including grades of very high-strength, dual-phase steel and ultra-high-strength aluminized boron steel

Yet, despite its additional strength, the all-new 2011 Fiesta body structure overall is lightweight. This means advancements in safety have been achieved in harmony with fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

Protective Reinforcements

High-strength steels are used in areas of the Ford Fiesta where structural strength and reinforcement are essential for crashworthiness. This includes the floor structure, front rails and beams, and the vehicle’s integrated body-side reinforcement to help protect against side impact.

High-strength materials are used to create a very strong B-pillar section and a strong rocker section fore and aft in crash. Impact loads are also transferred laterally to the opposite side of the car via under body crossmembers to maximize dissipation of side-impact forces. This integrated body-side reinforcement resists side intrusion in the event of a collision and helps the body structure manage the energy of other impacts effectively – be they frontal, offset or rear.

The individual high-strength elements are formed into an integrated subassembly during manufacturing before they are joined to the vehicle on the production line. This process ensures better joint strength and a more efficient body structure. .

For more information on the Ford Fiesta and the use of ultra-high-strength steel, click here.

QUOTE

“Safety is an important attribute for the new Fiesta, but achieving real weight reduction was also a key objective. High-strength steels – cold- and hot-formed – were key to delivering the lighter weight and higher strength we needed for structural efficiency. We believe the materials used on the new Fiesta are setting a new benchmark in the small car segment.”

– Bernd Liesenfelder, Body engineering manager, Ford of Europe

Tags: boron, Fiesta, Ford, Ford Motor Company, safety

Posted in Ford Fiesta - text, Ford Safety - text | No Comments »

FORD FOCUS EARNS IIHS ‘TOP SAFETY PICK’

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Think size matters? Think again. Ford Motor Company’s smallest North American car, the two-door 2009 Focus, is its latest vehicle to earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). More than any other automaker, Ford offers vehicles in a full range of sizes that deliver both top-rated safety and fuel efficiency that is the best or among the best in its segment.

The 2009 Ford Focus coupe delivers up to 35 mpg and features six standard air bags, standard ABS and available stability control – features that helped it earn Top Safety Pick. Focus will be among the first vehicles to offer MyKey, which allows parents to limit the top speed and radio volume, and set other limits, when their teen is driving.

Small Car Safety

The 2009 Focus uses high strength steel throughout its structure, is loaded with six standard airbags – including side curtains and seat-mounted air bags – and comes with new front seats designed to perform well in dynamic rear impact collisions.

The Focus’ front seats are designed to help reduce the risk of soft tissue neck injuries, commonly referred to as “whiplash,” by keeping the occupant in the proper position in the event of a rear collision. The head restraint and seatback work together to maintain the occupant’s alignment by supporting the head, neck and torso. This helps manage the crash forces and minimizes the chances of whiplash-type injuries.

Focus features Ford’s fully integrated, computer-driven Personal Safety System™, which employs nearly a dozen technologically advanced components. It analyzes different frontal crash conditions and deploys the appropriate occupant protection systems for the specific crash conditions.

A new option for 2009 is electronic stability control (ESC), which uses sophisticated sensors and the anti-lock braking system to help drivers maintain control of their vehicle under a variety of driving conditions.

MyKey Promotes Teen Safety

Later this summer, Ford will begin rolling out its innovative MyKey technology, which is designed to help parents encourage their teen-agers to drive safer and more fuel efficiently, and increase safety-belt usage.

The feature will debut as standard equipment on the 2010 Ford Focus and will quickly become standard on many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models. It allows owners to program a key that can limit the vehicle’s top speed and audio volume. MyKey also encourages safety-belt usage by muting the audio system until front occupants buckle up.

SYNC Helps Drivers Remain Focused

Also setting the Focus coupe apart from other small cars is Ford’s industry-exclusive SYNC® technology, which is standard equipment on the SES and SEL series and optional on the SE. Ford SYNC, introduced first on the 2008 Focus, is a fully integrated, voice-activated communications and entertainment system allowing customers to operate their Bluetooth®-enabled cell phones and digital media players with voice commands.

Recent Ford telematics research shows that Ford SYNC hands-free system significantly reduces the level of distraction when drivers select a phone number or choose a song on their MP3 player compared with the same operations with hand-held cell phones and music players. For example, reading a text message on a handheld phone typically took the driver’s eyes off the road for 11 seconds compared to about 2 seconds when listening to the text message with SYNC’s text-to-speech output.

Ford’s research is consistent with a prior Virginia Tech and the U.S. Department of Transportation study, which concluded that manually dialing a handheld device – a task that requires glancing away from the road – while driving was almost 2.8 times riskier than normal driving. However, the on-the-road study showed that talking/listening on a hands-free phone while driving was no riskier than normal driving.

Bumper to Bumper Compatibility

Ford continues to build safety into small cars while leading industry efforts to make the bumper structures of larger vehicles such as crossovers, SUVs and pickups more crash compatible with the bumpers of smaller vehicles, including the 2009 Focus.

Ford was the first to market with crash structures to make passenger cars, such as the Focus, more compatible with SUVs. Product design revisions make both types of vehicles more resistant to damage and less likely to cause damage in low-speed crashes.

Fuel Efficient Focus

The 2009 Focus Coupe is equipped with a 2.0-liter, Duratec 20 dual-overhead-cam (DOHC), I-4 engine that delivers 143 horsepower when combined with a five-speed manual transmission and 140 horsepower when paired with a four-speed automatic transmission.

Also available is a super-clean, 130-horsepower Duratec 20E engine that qualifies Focus as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) in California emissions states. The 20E’s tailpipe emissions are cleaner than some hybrid gas-electric vehicles'. The Duratec 20 and 20E in Focus Coupe are mated to a five-speed manual transmission and achieve EPA-estimated fuel economy of 35 mpg highway.

QUOTES:

“The Focus is another example of how Ford is leading the way in enhancing safety and saving fuel; a commitment backed up the most top crash safety ratings and leading fuel economy with each new vehicle.”
– Sue Cischke, Ford Group Vice President, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

“The two-door Focus’s crash test performance shows that a high level of protection can come in a small package.”
– Steve Kozak, Chief Engineer, Ford Safety Systems

Tags: Ford, Ford Focus, Ford Motor Company, safety

Posted in Ford Safety - text | No Comments »

FORD’S 10TH ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Monday, June 15th, 2009

FORD’S 10TH ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT DETAILS PROGRESS ON BLUEPRINT FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Ford Motor Company’s 10th annual Sustainability Report released today provides a comprehensive look at the company’s progress on environmental and social issues over the past year.

The 2008/2009 reported entitled “Blueprint for Sustainability: Our Future Works” updates the company’s progress in key areas of climate change, fuel economy, mobility, vehicle safety and human rights.

The full report is now available online at www.ford.com/go/sustainability. In the interest of the environment and as a cost saving measure, Ford elected not to do a traditional print version of the report.

On Climate Change
Ford remains on track to reach its goal to reduce by 30 percent the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of its new U.S. and European vehicles by 2020, compared to the 2006 model year. To learn more about Ford’s commitment to its climate change strategy, click here.

On Fuel Economy
Ford is committed to make all of its new vehicles either best in class or among the best in class in fuel economy. All of its North American 2010 model year vehicles and many 2009 model year vehicles meet this commitment. To learn more about Ford’s commitment to delivering fuel efficient technologies to millions, click here.

On Electrification
Ford is accelerating the development of battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV), which it will introduce in North America from 2010 to 2012. To learn more about Ford’s commitment to electric vehicles, click here.

On Mobility
With the rise of mega-cities around the world – urban areas of 5 million to 10 million people or more – Ford is working on sustainable mobility solutions that reduce personal transportation’s environmental and social impacts. To learn more about Ford’s commitment to new mobility solutions, click here.

On Human Rights
For several years Ford facilities and those of its joint-venture companies and suppliers have operated under the Ford Code of Basic Working Conditions, which requires products to be manufactured under conditions that demonstrate respect for the people who make them. To learn more about Ford’s commitment to human rights, click here.

On Vehicle Safety
Ford Motor Company holds more Top Safety Pick ratings (awarded by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS)) than any other automaker and more U.S. government 5-star-rated vehicles than any brand. To learn more about Ford’s commitment to vehicle safety, click here.

On Sustaining Ford
Over the past several years, Ford has undertaken a fundamental restructuring of its operations that affects every part of its business, from product innovation and fuel efficiency to labor relations and its interactions with suppliers and dealers. To learn more about Ford’s plan to return to profitability, click here.

QUOTES

“Our economic and environmental goals are aligned. In fact, we believe that the best way for us to be more profitable is to make our business and products more sustainable.” – Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company

“We recognize these issues are increasingly important to our stakeholders, including our customers, investors and business partners. We want them to understand that we will continue to pursue our sustainability agenda despite very challenging economic conditions.”
– Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

“Ford’s reporting has benefited greatly from open and honest dialogue with shareholders, environmental organizations and other key stakeholders regarding a variety of sustainability issues, including global climate change and good governance practices.” – Carol Lee Rawn, senior manager of the Transportation Program at Ceres, who led the Ceres stakeholder team that advised Ford on its Sustainability Report

Tags: 2008-2009, climate change, electrification, Ford, Ford Motor Company, fuel economy, governance, human rights, innovation, mobility, safety, sustainability, Sustainability Report

Posted in Electrification, Ford and the Environment - text | No Comments »

2010 FORD MUSTANG SCORES 5-STAR SAFETY RATINGS

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

2010 FORD MUSTANG COUPE EARNED THE U.S. GOVERNMENT’S TOP 5-STAR CRASH-TEST RATING

2010 Ford Mustang Scores 5-Star Safety Ratings

The 2010 Ford Mustang coupe has earned the U.S. government’s top 5-star crash-test rating, adding to widespread acclaim for the new car’s unmistakable design and upgraded performance that builds on the formula that’s made it America’s favorite pony car for 45 years. Ford has more U.S. government 5-star-rated vehicles than any other brand and more Top Safety Pick ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety than any other automaker.

Structurally Strong
The new Mustang uses high strength steel in its body structure and uses ultra high strength steel in the door intrusion beams for additional side impact protection.

The Mustang’s considerable body stiffness contributes to the coupe and convertible’s driving performance and has a parallel benefit in accident protection. While the coupe’s body structure is approximately 31 percent stiffer than the previous Mustang platform, the convertible’s is more than twice as stiff – creating a structure that helps protect the cabin from deformation and intrusion during an impact.

The front structure’s crush zones are computer-designed to absorb energy in a controlled manner and help dissipate it before it can reach the passenger compartment. Ford engineers have run thousands of design iterations of the Mustang’s front rails to arrive at an octagonal shape that helps spread crash forces evenly to help protect occupants.

Technologically Advanced
State-of-the-art technology adds to the convenience and safety of the 2010 Mustang, from the availability of the latest version of Ford SYNC®, with new features 911 Assist™ and Vehicle Health Report, to standard AdvanceTrac® Electronic Stability Control, which complements the all-speed traction control and standard anti-lock braking system (ABS).

Additional standard safety equipment includes Beltminder® and the Personal Safety System™ – a system that includes dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, safety belt pretensioners and Beltminder.

Sales Leader
Mustang remains the number one selling sports car by a wide margin, with the new 2010 model driving showroom traffic. In April, Mustang had nearly a 40 percent share of the retail sports car segment.

QUOTES:

“The Mustang offers top safety ratings that, like its design and performance, other sports cars cannot match.” – Sue Cischke, Ford Group Vice President of Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

“We’ve made many upgrades to the new Mustang that contributes not only to the car’s safety, but also to its driving enjoyment thanks to a stiffer structure. – Steve Kozak, Ford Chief Engineer for Safety Systems

“Interest in the fast, fun and affordable Mustang remains outstanding. The feedback from our dealers and customers is that we’ve taken the new 2010 Mustang to a new level of excellence.” – Steve Ling, Ford Car Marketing Manager

Tags: 2010 Ford Mustang, 5-star crash-test rating, Ford, Ford Motor Company, IIHS, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, safety, Top Safety Pick

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ENGINEERS DEPLOY NEW SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

ENGINEERS PIT SHOPPING CARTS, WATER CANNONS AND METAL WHIPS AGAINST NEW SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES

Ford Motor Company has ushered in new, extreme tests – such as ramming shopping carts into car doors and blasting water cannons to force vehicles into skids – to fine tune new, industry-leading safety technologies for its mainstream vehicles.

These tests are part of Ford’s ongoing efforts to accelerate new collision protection and avoidance technologies. Ford’s safety leadership is built on having more Insurance Institute-rated “Top Safety Pick” vehicles than any other automaker and the most U.S. government 5-star test ratings of any brand.

New Tests for a New Technology
Ford engineers conduct unusual “crash” tests to take thousands of impact readings that help calibrate the sensitivity of new air bag pressure sensors being introduced on the new 2009 F-150 and 2010 Taurus. The new air bag systems use pressure pulses from a side impact to deploy up to 30 percent faster than a traditional air bag system that uses acceleration-based sensors.

Engineers, however, were concerned that everyday mishaps – such as shopping cart collisions in parking lots or errant basketballs from neighborhood children – could trick the new sensors that now help predict crash forces before the full impact occurs. The engineers used reams of data from these unusual tests to calibrate the air bag sensor to disregard typically minor collisions.

In one test, a lab robot repeatedly pushes a shopping cart loaded with a 110-pound weight into the vehicle doors at 10 miles per hour. Another robotic test replicates the impact of a bicycle wheel on the car door.

Pressure-based sensors more accurately measure the severity of a crash than acceleration-based sensors, which makes them better able to differentiate between a life-threatening, air bag-deployable crash and relatively harmless daily abuse that should not require air bag protection. They also perform better in new federal side-impact and oblique-impact tests, are less likely to be affected by vehicle design differences, and give designers more flexibility because they take up less space.

The new F-150 is one of North America’s first vehicles to offer this new technology. According to a recent study by the IIHS, the truck offers better side-impact crash safety than the Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram and Nissan Titan.

Whipped, Stirred and Shaken
Engineers also conduct air bag sensor research on a test track rife with jarring, jolting surface imperfections, ranging from potholes and chatter bumps to curbs and ditches. There, certified test drivers are encouraged to push vehicles to the limit.

Ford’s safety engineers also have concocted a clever test method using a multi-tailed, lead-tipped steel whip. They use it to repeatedly “pepper” the underbody area where side impact air bag sensors are located. Data collected from such tests is used to refine sensor calibrations as well.

From the Pumpkin Patch to the Test Track
Ford researchers also use a water cannon test to analyze how a moving vehicle reacts to being struck from the side, without putting test vehicles and drivers at risk of damage or injury. Researchers say the new test could prove useful in the development of next-generation stability control technology.

Ford engineers mount an air-powered cannon – a tool commonly used in mining operations and pumpkin-throwing contests – in the rear compartment of a test vehicle. In this highly coordinated maneuver, the cannon blasts water outward, causing a recoil impulse that forces the vehicle into a skid. Engineers use the test data in computer simulations to help study how to enhance stability control technology, reducing risks to test drivers and damage to test vehicles.

Safety Sells
According to the 2008 New Vehicle Customer Study, safety features account for one of the top ten reasons why Ford buyers chose their vehicle. More than 53 percent of Ford buyers indicated that safety features are “extremely important” in their decision to purchase a Ford vehicle.

Learn more about Ford’s extreme tests.

Use Safety Test Images from Flickr.

Embed Safety Test Videos from YouTube:

Quotes

“Blasting and ramming cars may seem over the top, but they’re part of a serious testing regimen that Ford had to invent, because increasingly sophisticated technologies require more advanced testing. We will continue to build on our safety leadership with advanced safety technologies that help enhance crash protection or even help customers avoid accidents.” – Sue Cischke, group vice president, Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

“(Ford test drivers) drive the test vehicles into curbs and railroad tracks at high speeds. Most people wouldn’t drive that recklessly, but it’s our job to find out how much abuse the sensor will take before deploying the air bag and adjust the sensors accordingly.” – Todd Clark, sensor development supervisor, Ford Safety Systems

"Ford leads the industry in top crash-test safety ratings; now we’re helping take crash protection and prevention to new levels with technologies such as our new air bag pressure sensors.” – Steve Kozak, chief engineer, Ford Safety Systems

“(The water cannon test) is a very effective test that demonstrates the ingenuity of our engineering team to think outside the box. We know of no other automaker doing anything quite like it.” – Jeff Rupp, manager, Ford Active Safety Systems Engineering

“Ford’s efforts to advance vehicle safety are driving more car buyers to the brand. And their interest in safety continues to fuel innovation among our vehicle designers and engineers.” – Mike Harper, brand and tracking manager, Ford Market Research

Tags: , Airbags, Collision testing, Ford, Ford Motor Company, safety, Safety Testing

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LINCOLN MKZ EARNS TOP SAFETY PICK

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

EXTENDS FORD’S INDUSTRY LEAD IN CRASH RATINGS

The new 2010 Lincoln MKZ luxury midsize sedan – arriving in dealerships now – is giving Lincoln showrooms another boost after earning a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The new MKZ offers more standard luxury features than its Lexus and Cadillac competitors and further solidified Ford Motor Company’s industry-leading number of Top Safety Picks.

Structurally strong
The structure of the Lincoln MKZ helps it withstand intrusion in many accidents, including the most common frontal and side impacts.

The tailor-welded B-pillars between the front and rear doorframes are stronger at the top of the vehicle – from below the beltline upward – than at the bottom. This helps to channel energy below the level of the occupants. At the torso level and above, the structure helps to prevent intrusion into the passenger compartment.

Front and side-protection elements on the MKZ include:

The first use on a Ford vehicle of dual-phase, high-strength steel rails on the front end;
Two energy absorbing foam blocks between the inner door panels and interior trim, aligned with the occupants’ chest and hip ;
Side-intrusion beams inside the door, anchored at the hinge and latch areas;
Tailor-welded steel in the B-pillar structure with extra thickness – nearly a quarter inch of solid steel – above the beltline; and
Front-seat side air bags for front occupants and side-curtain air bags for head protection in both rows.

Segment-exclusive features
The new Lincoln MKZ also offers segment-exclusive features, including:

First-in-class Blind Spot Information System (BLIS™) with Cross Traffic Alert (CTA), which makes navigating traffic and parking lots safer and easier.
AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control system, which comes standard on all Lincoln vehicles, can predict the vehicle’s intentions using a sensor to detect and measure over-steer and yaw by monitoring the vehicle’s speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When the system senses wheel slip, engine torque is reduced and braking is applied where needed to help keep the car tracking safely on its intended path.
Optional SYNC® with 911 AssistTM. When a phone is properly paired, turned on and connected to SYNC, the system is ready to assist in placing a call directly to a local 911 emergency operator in the event of an air bag-deploying accident. The key advantage of SYNC 911 Assist is speed, as calls are placed directly to local 911 operators.
SOS Post Crash Alert System, which activates the horn, emergency flashers, automatically unlocks doors and turns on the interior/puddle lamps when an air bag is deployed. The system activates the emergency flashers when a spinout is detected.

Additional standard safety features on the Lincoln MKZ include:

Ford’s Personal Safety System®, which includes safety belt pretensioners, load-limiting retractors, dual-stage front air bags, driver-seat-position sensing and crash-severity sensing;
Ford’s BeltMinder™ system, which chimes and flashes a warning lamp for six seconds every 30 seconds for five minutes or until the driver buckles up, whichever comes first; and
The LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system, which provides convenient mounting points for compatible child seats.

QUOTES

“Earning a ‘Top Safety Pick’ is great news because the Insurance Institute’s tests are some of the most demanding conducted outside of our own laboratories, and customers increasingly rely on them when choosing a new vehicle.” – Susan Cischke, Ford Group Vice President of Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

“The new MKZ continues to build on Ford’s leading safety heritage and proves that a high level of safety can come in a midsize package.” – Steve Kozak, Chief Engineer, Ford Safety Systems

“In addition to its top safety rating, the new MKZ is packed with technology, Lincoln’s signature high-end features, class-leading interior quietness, and is unsurpassed in its segment for highway fuel economy.” – Greg Scott, Ford Marketing Manager for Fusion, Milan and MKZ

Tags: 2010 Lincoln MKZ, crash ratings, Ford, Ford Motor Company, IIHS, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, safety

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FORD’S MYKEY TEEN-SAFETY TECHNOLOGY HONORED

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

FORD’S MYKEY TEEN-SAFETY TECHNOLOGY HONORED, PRAISED FOR POTENTIAL LIFE-SAVING BENEFITS

Ford Motor Company’s MyKeyTM teen-safety driving technology topped the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) top technology picks for new vehicles and earned the 2009 Traffic Safety Achievement Award from a panel of judges at the New York International Auto Show’s World Traffic Safety Symposium.

MyKey, which soon will become standard equipment on the 2010 Ford Focus and many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models, allows owners to program a key that can limit the vehicle’s top speed and audio volume. The new technology also can completely mute the audio system if front occupants are not belted. The feature is designed to help parents encourage their teen-agers to drive safer and more fuel efficiently, and increase safety belt usage.

Ford’s Focus on Teen Driver Safety
MyKey “may hold potential to increase the safety of teen drivers,” wrote W. E. Van Tassel, Ph.D., with AAA National Driver Training Programs, in a recent article for The Chronicle of ADTSEA.

The Symposium judges previously honored Ford’s Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) program – which teaches teens advanced driving skills – with the 2007 Traffic Safety Achievement Award for Community Service. Two years earlier, the Symposium honored Ford for its exclusive VIRTTEX driving simulator, which has been used almost exclusively for safety research, including an extensive teen study earlier this decade.

These efforts, combined with Ford’s hands-free, voice-activated SYNC connectivity technology, are part of Ford’s holistic approach to helping teens – the riskiest on the roads – drive more safely and reduce risks that lead to many of the approximately 6,000 U.S. auto fatalities each year.

MyKey’s Safety Appeal
MyKey can help promote safer driving, particularly among teens, by encouraging safety belt use, limiting speed and reducing distractions. In addition to the more aggressive belt monitor with audio mute as well as top speed and audio volume limits, MyKey provides earlier low-fuel warnings and can be programmed to sound chimes at 45, 55 and 65 miles per hour to encourage driving within posted speed limits.

About 50 percent of those who would consider purchasing MyKey also said they would allow their children to use the family vehicle more often if it were equipped with the technology. The added seat time can help teens build driving skills in a more controlled setting, complementing graduated licensing laws that give young motorists more driving freedom as they get older.
According to NHTSA, teens are more likely to take risks such as speeding – a contributing factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes – and less likely to wear safety belts than older drivers.

QUOTES

“The 2009 World Traffic Safety Symposium is tackling the issue of safer teen driving. As Ford’s new MyKey safety technology will help encourage teens to drive safer and use their seat belts, we’re proud to present Ford with this award.” – Mark Schienberg, president of the New York International Auto Show

“Ford’s commitment to providing motorists of all ages with a safe and satisfying driving experience extends beyond our introduction of industry-leading crash protection and crash avoidance systems. New technologies such as MyKey build on that commitment by encouraging responsible driving behavior.” – Susan Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

Tags: AAA, American Automobile Association, award, Ford, Ford Motor Company, MyKey, New York Auto Show, safety, teen safety, World Traffic Safety Symposium

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2010 ESCAPE ADDS NEW SAFETY AND DRIVER AID TECHNOLOGIES

Friday, March 6th, 2009

Ford’s great Escape just got greater.

The 2010 Escape, the small SUV with the best crash test ratings of any vehicle in its class, is increasing its technology leadership with the addition of five new features that improve safety, reduce driver distractions and aid drivers by automatically parallel parking their vehicle.

The new Escape, in showrooms this summer, will add MyKey™ teen-safety technology, Integrated Spotter Mirrors – both offered standard (MyKey on XLT and above models) – optional Rear View Camera System and SYNC with real-time Traffic, Directions and Information. The new model also will be the North America’s first SUV to offer Active Park Assist, which uses an ultrasonic-based sensing system and Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) to position the vehicle for parallel parking, calculate the optimal steering angle and quickly steer the vehicle into a parking spot.

The 2010 Escape’s new features include:

Integrated Spotter Mirror – a consumer-friendly, affordable blind spot technology that consists of an outside rearview mirror designed with a secondary convex spotter in the top outer corner, which is aimed exclusively at the driver's blind spot. When traffic enters the driver’s blind spot on either side of the vehicle, it is visible in the secondary convex mirror, helping provide the driver broader peripheral view.

MyKey – allows owners to program a key that can limit the vehicle’s top speed and audio volume. MyKey also encourages safety-belt usage, provides earlier low-fuel warnings and can be programmed to sound chimes at 45, 55 and 65 miles per hour. This feature is standard on Escape models featuring a message center cluster, including XLT and above.

Rear View Camera System – uses an exterior camera embedded in the rear of the vehicle that sends images to a video display in the rearview mirror or the navigation system screen to help enhance visibility directly behind the vehicle when the driver is in reverse. Ford is leveraging the affordability of high-quality video cameras to widely offer the technology with navigation systems. The rearview mirror system allows customers to choose an even more affordable version of the technology.

Active Park Assist – uses an ultrasonic-based sensing system and Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) to position the vehicle for parallel parking, calculate the optimal steering angle and quickly steer the vehicle into a parking spot. The technology is a major leap forward in speed and ease of use compared with the camera-reliant systems offered by competitors. Ford’s system requires less driver interface and reduces the risk of selecting a parking spot that is too tight. Ford’s Active Park Assist also works in downhill parking situations, unlike competing systems.

Next-gen SYNC – Ford is expanding its connectivity leadership by introducing exclusive new SYNC real-time information features that deliver personalized news updates to drivers’ mobile phones while helping them navigate around trouble spots, saving time and fuel. The new Escape is one of the first vehicles to feature this optional next-generation system – SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information – which leverages industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS technology and a customer’s Bluetooth-capable mobile phone. SYNC’s new services provide simple hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise turn-by-turn driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather.

Safety Standard

The 2010 Ford Escape’s standard safety technologies also include:

AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™) – the world’s only system with a gyroscopic sensor that actively measures and helps prevent both side-to-side “yaw” and roll movements

Safety Canopy® – a side air curtain technology offering protection for the first and second seating rows, and helps provide rollover and ejection protection with extended deployment in rollovers

Personal Safety System™ – a suite of seven safety technologies, including new dual-stage front air bags for the driver and front-seat passenger, side air bags and a front passenger sensor system

Tire Pressure Monitoring System – alerts drivers when tire pressure is low. Properly inflated tires not only are important for safety – they also can help improve fuel economy.

Quotes

“The Ford Escape is one of few vehicles that earned both the government’s highest possible 5-star crash safety ratings and a ‘Top Safety Pick’ in the hotly contested small SUV segment. These new technologies will help to take the new Escape to the next level of safety and driver satisfaction.”
- Susan Cischke, Ford’s group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

“Our vision with SYNC, MyKey and other new technologies is to be a technology leader, making it affordable for millions – just as Ford has done with safety and fuel-saving technologies. We are a car company that through market-driven, customer-focused innovation is learning to think and act like an electronics company, leveraging partnerships with fresh technology leaders.”
- Doug VanDagens, director of Ford’s Connected Services Organization..

“We know people want to stay connected in their vehicles, so Ford is continuing to deliver that connectivity for them responsibly and safely. Our SYNC research backs up what most of us instinctively know – that it is better while driving to place a call using a voice interface than dialing manually, because you can keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”
- Susan Cischke, Ford’s group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering

“Safety is a top consumer purchase consideration, second only to fuel efficiency, and smart technologies are increasingly in demand. So Escape’s new safety and driver assist technologies, along with its top crash safety ratings and unsurpassed highway fuel economy is a combination that’s hard to beat.”
- Tedros Mengiste, Ford's Escape and Mariner marketing manager

Tags: 2010 Ford Escape, Active Park Assist, AdvanceTrac, Ford Motor Company, Integrated Spotter Mirror, MyKey, Personal Safety System, Rear View Camera System, roll stability control, safety, Safety Canopy, SYNC, Tire Pressure Monitoring System

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Ford SYNC™ Reduces Driving Distractions

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009

Study Shows Ford SYNC™ Reduces Driving Distractions, Helps Drivers Keep Eyes on Road

A new Ford study shows that the SYNC hands-free connectivity system, which recently earned Popular Mechanics’ Editor’s Choice Award for best new products, significantly reduces the level of distraction when drivers select a phone number or choose a song on their MP3 player compared with the same operations with hand-held cell phones and music players.

For example, the research conducted by Ford Motor Company shows study participants spent an average of 25 seconds with their eyes-off-the-road to select a song with a handheld MP3 player compared with 2 seconds for those choosing a song using SYNC.

SYNC allows drivers to connect almost any mobile phone or digital media player with their vehicle (via Bluetooth or USB connection). The driver is able to operate them by using voice commands and a steering wheel-mounted control.

Voice interface helps minimize handheld device-related distractions

The study’s 25 participants who are regular SYNC users performed seven typical tasks using SYNC’s voice interface and their personal handheld phones and music players. For each basic task, Ford researchers measured total eyes-off-the-road time, deviation of lane position, speed variability, and object detection response time to identify differences in attentiveness and driving performance.

Other findings included reading a text message on a handheld phone typically took the driver’s eyes off the road for 11 seconds compared to about 2 seconds when listening to the text message with SYNC's text-to-speech output. Drivers also meandered over lane lines in more than 30 percent of trials using handheld phones and music players for song, artist, and phone book contact selection, as compared to zero percent when performing those same tasks with SYNC. Study participants also spent an average of 25 seconds with their eyes-off-the-road to select a song with a handheld MP3 player compared with 2 seconds for those choosing a song using SYNC.

Ford’s study results are consistent with prior research, such as Virginia Tech and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s recent driving study, which followed 109 drivers for one year, including 42,300 hours of driving over two million miles. That study concluded that manually dialing a handheld device – a task that requires looks away from the road – while driving was almost 2.8 times riskier than normal driving. However, the on-the-road study showed that talking/listening on a phone while driving was no riskier than normal driving.

The success of SYNC continues to grow. By summer 2009, Ford’s entire North American lineup will offer this technology with more than 1 million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road by the third quarter of 2009.

Tags: , Ford, Ford Motor Company, safety, SYNC

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SAFEST FULL-SIZE PICKUP

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

2009 Ford F-150 Becomes Safest Full-Size Pickup by Earning Top 5-Star Crash Ratings

Look out! The all-new 2009 Ford F-150 is even tougher than previously thought. Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year™ recently became America’s safest full-size pickup by earning 5-star frontal and side-impact ratings in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests, as well as the “Top Safety Pick” award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Oh yeah, it also boasts an unmatched list of advanced standard safety features.

Tradeoffs? Not with the F-150, which has the best combined safety, capability and fuel economy ratings of any other half-ton truck thanks to advanced lightweight materials… breaking the myth that stronger vehicles are less efficient.

On a roll: The new F-150 led Ford’s F-Series lineup to a 32nd straight year of truck sales leadership in 2008. F-Series finished the year with 50,448 more unit sales than its nearest competitor. In addition, for the 27th year in a row, F-Series is once again America’s best-selling vehicle of any type. That’s right – including cars, crossovers, SUVs, trucks or vans. Since the all-new 2009 F-150 went on sale in October 2008, F-Series has actually gained market share, increasing from 31 percent of the full-size truck market in the first nine months to 37 percent in the fourth quarter.

The Toughest Truck
The F-150’s safety leadership is built on the solid structure that underpins the truck’s legendary “Built Ford Tough” durability and capability. The new truck has an all-new hydroformed steel front end – including use of tubular ultra-high-strength lighter weight steel that contributes to its unsurpassed fuel economy in the full-size pickup truck segment.

New to the 2009 F-150 is Ford’s standard Safety Canopy® side-curtain air bag rollover protection system, which helps protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollovers and side-impact crashes. The air bag is designed to stay inflated for several seconds for additional protection in rollover crashes, which often last longer than side-impact crashes.

Ford’s Personal Safety System is made up of a suite of protection technologies, including dual-stage front air bags and occupant weight classification, working together to help protect occupants. Added to this is a Ford first – the new “K-bag,” a front seat dual-chamber side air bag named for its unique shape, which is designed to help protect the rib cage from excessive crash forces during a side impact.

Towing Safety and Convenience
The new F-150 has standard safety and towing aid technologies – including Advance Trac® with Roll Stability Control™ (RSC®), a first for the F-150 – that help customers more confidently use the truck’s segment-leading towing and hauling capability. The Ford-exclusive stability control system uses a gyroscopic sensor that uniquely helps detect and prevent both skidding and rollovers.

The system offers as standard integrated Trailer Sway Control technology, which helps determine from the yaw motion of the truck if the trailer is swaying and takes measures to help bring it under control. An available Integrated Trailer Brake Controller technology allows direct operation of the trailer’s electronic brakes with more confidence than typical aftermarket systems.

Tow Haul Mode changes shift points under acceleration, keeping the truck at a higher rpm and further up in the power range to improve the towing experience by avoiding unnecessary shifts in rolling terrain. The technology also prevents the transmission from shifting up in gear when the vehicle crests a hill, and provides downhill brake support that allows the transmission to downshift, letting engine-compression braking slow the vehicle and maintain a steady speed.

Tags: 5-star, IIHS, NHTSA, safety

Posted in A Year In Review: 2009, Ford F-150 - text snippets | No Comments »

Helping Seniors Assess Driving Skills

Thursday, December 11th, 2008

Ford Helps Seniors Assess Driving Skills; Offers Safety Features with Older Drivers in Mind

John Kachigian, Ford Motor Company retiree

For many baby boomers, maintaining their driving skills during their “golden years” is the key to enjoying leisurely road trips to visit grandchildren, old friends and National Parks. Ford Motor Company wants to help them arrive safely at their dream destinations by expanding its sponsorship of a pilot program with the non-profit Traffic Improvement Association (TIA), which helps older drivers evaluate their ability to safely operate motor vehicles.

The effort complements Ford’s aggressive introduction of vehicle features and technologies that address the safety needs of older drivers and those with physical limitations.

Risks Rise with Age

Ford is helping expand the program at a time when the U.S. elderly population is growing faster than any other age demographic. The aging Baby Boomer generation is expected to increase the number of U.S. licensed drivers 65 and older by 25 percent in the next decade, as its oldest members turn 65 in 2011. By 2020, their number will reach 40 million. Other than teen-age drivers, drivers age 65 and older have the highest accident and traffic fatality rates among all age groups, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Testing Reflexes, Reinforcing Fundamentals

TIA presented a record 38 Ford-sponsored workshops at hospitals and senior centers around Michigan in 2008. Even more workshops will be offered in 2009. The three-day workshops are confidential, voluntary and designed to allow seniors to self-evaluate their skills.

TIA workshops educate older motorists about the effects of aging on reflexes and cognitive skills. They also teach compensation skills for diminished abilities, and reinforce fundamental defensive driving techniques. The program includes an on-the-road evaluation conducted by AAA-certified instructors in the drivers’ own vehicles.

Meeting the Needs of Drivers of All Ages

One in five drivers – 54 million people in the U.S. – cope with temporary or permanent physical challenges such as injury or obesity that can inhibit their abilities to turn their heads to check blind spots or avoid a rear-end collision. Older drivers, in particular, are susceptible to mobility challenges.

Such findings have helped to drive Ford’s development of radar- and camera-based active safety and driver-aid technologies, such as backing and parking aids, forward collision warning systems and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Ford will launch new Blind Spot Mirrors, Collision Warning with Brake Support, Forward Collision Warning technology and BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert – a radar system that helps detect vehicles in blind spots during normal driving and oncoming traffic when reversing out of parking spots – in 2009.

The new technologies build on Ford’s leading number of top safety ratings, including the most 5-star government ratings of any automaker, and a leading number of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety “Top Safety Picks.”

Tags: safety, seniors, TIA, workshops

Posted in Ford Safety - text | No Comments »

16 TOP SAFETY AWARDS

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

Ford has More Top Safety Picks and U.S. Government Five-Star Safety-Rated Vehicles Than any Other Automaker

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded Ford Motor Company 16 “Top Safety Pick” ratings, besting Honda’s second-place tally of 13. The latest vehicle to earn this rating is the new 2009 Ford F-150, which was bestowed with the highest rating for front and side impact tests and in evaluations of seats and head restraints. Ford has been aggressively implementing safety technologies, across its vehicle lineup, such as the exclusive AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control). Electronic stability control is a required feature to qualify for IIHS’s Top Safety Pick.

Business Week: Ford Tops All Automakers For Safety Ratings

Automotive News: Study: Ford leads in top safety picks

Roy O'Brien Blog: Ford tops safety awards list for 2009, has 16 winners

eGMTech: Ford gets a total of 16 IIHS Top Safety Picks, Honda still in second place

Tags: Ford F150, Ford Motor Company, quality, safety

Posted in 2008-text, Delivering Safety | No Comments »

Ford’s All-New FG Falcon Receives A Five-Star Safety Rating from ANCAP

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Ford's All-New FG Falcon is First Australian-Built Car to Receive A Five-Star Safety Rating from The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP)

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

The petrol FG Falcon sedan range was awarded the maximum five-star safety rating with a total score of 34.6 points (out of a possible 37 points), giving it the highest score ever recorded by a locally-produced car in Australia. This positions the FG Falcon at the forefront of vehicle safety in Australia, with the recently released all-new model generating a higher point score than many significantly higher-priced, premium European vehicles with established reputations for world-class safety.

The Age: Falcon gets five-star crash rating

Drive: Falcon makes history with 5-star crash protection rating

New Zealand Herald: Safety first ... and last

Tags: Australia, FG Falcon, five-star, Ford Motor Company, safety

Posted in 2008-text, Delivering Safety | No Comments »

Ford Kuga Achieves Best Overall Rating

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Ford Kuga Achieves Best Overall Rating For Its Class In Euro NCAP Safety Test

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

In the latest phase of Euro NCAP safety tests the all-new Ford Kuga compact crossover has achieved the best combination of star ratings, giving the vehicle a unique position in the Euro NCAP Small Off-road 4x4 group. Awarded the maximum five stars for Adult Occupant Protection, this rating is enhanced by four stars for Child Occupant Protection and three stars for Pedestrian Protection.

Car Magazine Online: Euro NCAP latest results: Ford Kuga, Audi A4

Motor Authority: Five star ratings for Seat Ibiza, Skoda Superb, Audi A4 and Ford Kuga in latest Euro NCAP test

Carscoop: Ford Kuga Achieves 5-Star Rating in Euro NCAP Safety Tests

Tags: Best Overall Rating, Ford Motor Company, Kuga, NCAP, safety

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Ford Leads with Most ‘Top Safety Picks’

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Ford Leads All Automakers with Most ‘Top Safety Picks’ and Most Government ‘Five Star’ Ratings

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

Ford Motor Company has earned more “Top Safety Pick” ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) than any other automaker with a total of 16 to date. Ford surpassed its closest rival Honda this week (Sept. 25) when four of its 2009 models – Ford Flex, Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKS and Mercury Milan – achieved “Top Safety Pick” ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Ford also has more 5-star government crash test ratings than any other automaker.

Auto 123: Ford tops when it comes to safety according to IIHS

The Car Connection: Ford Boasts More IIHS Top Safety Picks Than Any Other Automaker

Tags: Ford Motor Company, IIHS Top Safety Pick, quality, safety

Posted in 2008-text, Delivering Safety | No Comments »

Ford Launches Blind Spot Mirror

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Ford Launches Industry-First Side Mirror Design on 2009 Edge Minimizing Blind Spot Risk

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

2009 Ford Edge receives the Blind Spot Mirror, an industry-first innovation, as standard equipment beginning this fall. The Blind Spot Mirror replaces traditional side view mirrors and features an integrated convex spotter mirror that provides an optimized view of the driver's blind spot.

USA Today: Ford launching blind-spot mirror on Edge this fall

Drive: Ford to offer 'blind spot' mirrors

Tags: blind spot mirror, Ford Motor Company, safety

Posted in 2008-text, Delivering Safety | No Comments »

Ford’s Latest Safety Brakethrough

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Ford’s Latest Safety Brakethrough – Collision Warning With Brake Support – Coming In 2009

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

Ford to introduce new "active" safety radar warning system, Collision Warning with Brake Support, in 2009 to help drivers avoid rear-end accidents. This technology uses radar to detect moving vehicles ahead and warns the driver of danger with an alarm and warning light, along with helping drivers stop more quickly. Collision Warning with Brake Support is one of three new radar-based active safety technologies Ford is launching in 2008 and 2009. The others are Adaptive Cruise Control and BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert.

Edmunds Inside Line: Ford To Roll Out Collision Warning System in 2009

Wired - Geek Dad: Ford Announces Family-Friendly Safety Features

Tags: brake support, collision warning, Ford Motor Company, safety

Posted in 2008-text, Delivering Safety | No Comments »

Ford’s New MyKey System

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Ford’s New MyKey System Helps Teens Drive Safer, Conserve Fuel; Gives Parents Peace of Mind

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

MyKeyTM allows parents to limit speed and audio volume to encourage teens to drive safer and improve fuel efficiency. Harris Interactive Survey shows that many parents would allow teens to drive more often if their vehicle was equipped with MyKey, which will debut as a standard feature next year on the 2010 Ford Focus and will quickly be offered on many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models.

New York Times: Ensuring Junior Goes for a Mild Ride

cnet News - Planetary Gear: Ford's key-with-a-chip to control teen drivers

Mother Proof: Ford’s MyKey Aims to Keep Teens Safer

Tags: , Ford Motor Company, MyKey system, safety, teen driving

Posted in 2008-text, Delivering Safety | No Comments »

Major Fuel Economy Commitments

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Ford Makes Major Fuel Economy Commitments

[no Ford Press Release for this story]

Ford has committed to deliver fuel economy that's best in segment for every new or significantly fresh new vehicle that we launch with its volume powertrain. Vehicles that delivered that result in 2008 included the Ford Escape, Escape Hybrid, Focus, Flex and Expedition, Mercury Mariner, Mariner Hybrid and Lincoln Navigator. The 2010 Ford Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Mercury Milan and Milan Hybrid are now joining that growing list.

clevland.com - The Plain Dealer: Ford's way forward: It's offering more safety, fuel economy and hybrids

eGMCarTech: Ford’s Kuzak: Every redone model must achieve best fuel-economy

Jalopnik: 2010 Ford Fusion To Have Class-Leading Fuel Economy

Tags: class leading fuel economy, Ford Motor Company, fuel efficiency, hybrids, safety

Posted in 2008-text, Delivering Fuel Efficiency | No Comments »

Virtual Manufacturing Technology

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Virtual Manufacturing Technology A Big Factor Behind Ford's Continually Improving Quality

[ford.media.com: Press Release]

As an industry leader in virtual technology, Ford Motor Company’s use of these technologies is a big factor of what’s behind the company’s soaring quality performance. Ford's virtual ergonomic tool set predicts and eliminates movement and fatigue issues for assembly operators using digital employees known as Jack and Jill. The virtual build tool set ensures manufacturing feasibility long before physical prototypes are built, allowing designers, engineers and suppliers to make upstream, cost-efficient fixes.

Aut Week: Inside virtual Ford

Fleet Owner: Virtual paint from Ford

Youtube: Virtual Manufacturing big part of Ford's improving quality

Tags: Ford Motor Company, quality, safety, virtual technology

Posted in 2008-text, Delivering Quality | No Comments »

MOST PICKUP FOR THE MONEY

Thursday, September 18th, 2008

The 2009 Ford F-150, now with more standard safety equipment than any other half-ton pickup, offers comparable or better pricing at all three cab configurations versus the competition. The F-150 Lariat SuperCrew, for example, starts at $35,820*, more than $5,000 less than a comparably equipped 2009 Dodge Ram.

The 2009 Ford F-150 also offers more value compared with the current F-150. With the XLT SuperCrew, customers receive $1,000 more value versus the previous model with the addition of $1,600 in standard equipment for 2009. The base Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for Ford’s workhorse, the XL Regular Cab, starts at $21,320*; and the popular XLT SuperCab starts at $29,160*.

All 2009 Ford F-150 pickups are equipped with more standard safety features than any other half-ton truck on the market and Ford anticipates that the new F-150 will achieve NHTSA 5-star rating and IIHS “Best Pick.” Ford F-150 safety features include:

AdvaceTrac® with RSC®

Trailer Sway Control

Anti Lock Breaking System

Safety Canopy® side curtain air bags with roll-fold technology for enhanced head protection in rollovers and side impacts

Front seat-mounted side air bags with patented K-shape design

Personal Safety System®

SOS post-crash alert system and new seats and restraints

The Ford F-150 also offers the industry-exclusive Easy Fuel™ capless fuel filler, V-8 power across the lineup and unsurpassed fuel economy of 15 mpg city and 21 mpg highway with the new SFE package.
* includes $975.00 destination and delivery

Quotes:
Matt O’Leary, Ford F-150 chief engineer:
“No other truck offers more capability with better fuel economy than the 2009 Ford F-150. And, when the truck hits showrooms in October, truck buyers will see real value.”

Mark Grueber, Ford F-150 marketing manager
“With the new F-150, we are offering customers more capability and choice with better-equipped trucks at a greater value than the competition. With the high-volume XLT series, we are able to offer more towing capability, hauling capacity, more standard safety features, industry-exclusive Easy Fuel™ and V-8 power at a starting price of more than a $1,000 less than a comparably equipped competitive truck.”

Tags: , 2009 Ford F-150, easy-fuel, safety, superior fuel economy

Posted in Ford F-150 - text snippets | No Comments »

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Ford’s Latest Safety Brakethrough – Collision Warning With Brake Support – Coming In 2009

Ford’s New MyKey System Helps Teens Drive Safer, Conserve Fuel; Gives Parents Peace of Mind

Ford Makes Major Fuel Economy Commitments

Virtual Manufacturing Technology A Big Factor Behind Ford's Continually Improving Quality

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