Monday, June 28, 2010

Ford Introduces New Curve Control Technology To Help Protect Against Crashes On Curves

  • Ford is pioneering the next frontier of safety with crash-avoidance innovations such as Curve Control, which launches on the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer and rolls out to 90 percent of Ford’s North American crossovers, sport utilities, trucks and vans by 2015.
  • Curve Control is designed to help drivers maintain control of their vehicle when taking a curve too quickly, a situation found to contribute to approximately 50,000 crashes on curves each year in the U.S. alone.
  • Curve Control senses when a vehicle is entering a curve too quickly, and can apply four-wheel smart braking to reduce vehicle speed by up to 10 mph in approximately one second and help drivers follow their intended path.
  • The system will come standard on the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer, part of a suite of safety technologies on the reinvented SUV, including the first inflatable rear seat belt on the market.

Curve Control - 2011 Ford Explorer

 

DEARBORN, Mich., June 28, 2010 – Ford Motor Company today introduced a new innovation – Curve Control – designed to help drivers maintain control of their vehicles when taking a curve too quickly.

 

Curve Control debuts as standard equipment on the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer going into production later this year, and will be offered on 90 percent of the company’s North American crossovers, sport utilities, trucks and vans by 2015.

 

The technology senses when a driver is taking a curve too quickly – a situation found to contribute to about 50,000 crashes each year in the U.S. – and rapidly reduces engine torque and can apply four-wheel braking, slowing the vehicle by up to 10 mph in about one second.

 

“Too many accidents stem from drivers misjudging their speed going into curves and freeway off- and on-ramps,” said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “Ford’s Curve Control technology senses a potentially dangerous situation and reduces power and applies brakes more quickly than most drivers can react on their own.”

 

Curve Control is effective on dry or wet pavement, and is expected to be particularly useful when drivers are entering or exiting freeway on- or off-ramps with too much speed. When a vehicle enters a curve too fast, the system responds to the driver’s steering input by rapidly reducing torque and increasing brake pressure to help keep the vehicle under control.

 

The patent-pending system works by measuring how quickly the vehicle is turning and comparing that with how quickly the driver is trying to turn. When the vehicle is not turning as much as the driver is steering – also known as “pushing” – Curve Control activates. The system applies the precise amount of braking required on each wheel to enhance the individual wheel braking of the traditional stability control system.

 

Based on Ford’s exclusive AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™), Curve Control uses sensors to measure roll rate, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, wheel speed and steering wheel angle, and runs calculations based on those inputs 100 times every second.

 

“Ford is developing technologies such as Curve Control and radar-based collision warning systems that can prevent crashes from happening in the first place,” said Paul Mascarenas, Ford vice president of Engineering for Global Product Development. “These new active systems designed to prevent accidents are the perfect complement for Ford’s leading passive safety systems – such as advanced airbags and high-strength vehicle structures – that protect occupants when a crash is inevitable.”
Curve Control is one of several new driver assist and safety technologies to be offered on the all-new Explorer. Other technologies include next-generation adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, state-of-the-art pressure-based airbag technology, the industry’s first inflatable rear seat belts and intelligent four-wheel-drive terrain management system.

 

Real-world benefits
Ford safety researchers found through analysis of government crash data that approximately 50,000 crashes annually in the U.S. involve driving too fast on a curve.

 

According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, freeway ramps “are the sites of far more crashes per miles driven than other segments of interstate highways.” In that 2004 study of more than 1,100 urban freeway interchange crashes, vehicle speed was noted as a “primary crash contributor.” About half of those interchange crashes occurred when at-fault drivers were in the process of exiting interstates and another 36 percent occurred when drivers were entering interstates.

 

“While we strongly encourage our customers to drive at safe speeds, systems such as Curve Control can be useful in unexpected situations,” said Ali Jammoul, Ford chief engineer, Chassis Systems.

 

Ford’s safety leadership record continues to grow
Ford has been awarded more five-star U.S. government ratings and Top Safety Picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety than any other automaker.

 

In 2009 Ford introduced radar-enabled adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, and BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with cross-traffic alert. These technologies – introduced on the new Ford Taurus and Fusion – help drivers avoid potentially dangerous crash situations by using radar to detect the relative position of other vehicles and warning the driver with a combination of visual and audio alerts.

 

On the 2002 Explorer, Ford launched the industry’s first rollover-activated side curtain airbags – called Safety Canopy® – as well as Roll Stability Control technology that goes beyond traditional stability control systems by measuring the vehicle’s roll rate to enhance vehicle stability.

 

Ford also introduced some of the industry’s first pressure-based airbag technologies that help deploy side airbags up to 30 percent faster on the 2009 F-150 and 2010 Taurus.


Friday, June 25, 2010

2011 Ford Super Duty Brochure

Here is the 2011 Ford Super Duty Brochure

 

2011 Ford Super Duty Brochure

 

Download the 2011 Ford Super Duty Brochure (PDF)


Monday, June 21, 2010

2011 Ford Taurus Brochure

Here is the 2011 Ford Taurus Brochure

 

2011 Ford Taurus+SHO Brochure

 

Download the 2011 Ford Taurus Brochure (PDF)


Thursday, June 17, 2010

J.D. Power: Ford Brand Now Has The Highest Initial Quality Among All Non-Luxury Brands In The Industry

  • Ford brand now has the highest initial quality among all non-luxury brands, according to J.D. Power’s closely watched Initial Quality Study
  • Ford rose to fifth place from last year’s eighth place. This is the highest rank position Ford has achieved in the IQS since ranking 23rd in 2004
  • Three Ford models rank highest within their respective segments: Ford Focus, Mustang and Taurus
  • Lincoln saw an improvement in its ranking over last year and is now among the top 10 brands in the industry

2010 Ford Taurus SHO

 

DEARBORN, June 17, 2010 – For the first time, the Ford brand has the highest initial quality among all non-luxury brands in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 Initial Quality Study (IQS).

 

The Ford brand moved to fifth place among all brands from eighth last year. This is the highest rank position Ford has achieved in the IQS since ranking 23rd in 2004.

 

Both the Ford and Lincoln brands demonstrated significant improvements, with the Ford brand moving to the best in the industry among all non-luxury brands. Lincoln, which was 26th on the list last year, now sits at eighth.

 

The Ford brand, which continues to outpace the overall industry’s quality improvement, has posted nine consecutive years of gains in the closely watched quality study, based on consumer evaluations after the first three months of new-vehicle ownership.

 

“These results are remarkable in many ways,” said Bennie Fowler, Ford group vice president, Global Quality & New Model Launches. “Steady and meticulous attention to new model launches along with consistency in how we do them across the brand and the globe are having a very positive effect on the initial quality of our all-new or redesigned products. These results are a true testament to the strength of the One Ford plan.”

 

Some of Ford’s most popular nameplates received top honors for their respective segment, including Ford Focus, Taurus and Mustang. As a company, Ford has eight models in the top three positions within their respective award segments. The company’s Hermosillo Assembly Plant also received the Silver Plant Quality Award for outstanding quality in manufacturing.

 

J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Initial Quality Study is based on responses from more than 82,000 new 2010 model-year vehicle owners after they have driven their new vehicles for three months. It measures problems per 100 vehicles and was based on November through February registrations.

 

“The blue oval is becoming synonymous with high quality,” Fowler said. “While we are pleased with where we are today, our job is not done. Our plan is to keep improving quality each and every year.”

 

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

2011 Ford Mustang Brochure

Here is the 2011 Ford Mustang Brochure

 

2011 Ford Mustang Brochure

Download the 2011 Ford Mustang Brochure (PDF)

Thursday, June 10, 2010

2011 Ford Fiesta Brochure

Here is the 2011 Ford Fiesta Brochure

2011 Ford Fiesta Brochure

Download the 2011 Ford Fiesta Brochure (PDF)

Five Ford Vehicles Earn Top Safety Picks By IIHS; Ford Leads Industry With Most Top Crash Ratings

  • The 2010 Ford Flex and Fusion, Lincoln MKZ and MKT, and Mercury Milan have earned Top Safety Pick ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
  • Ford now has 11 Top Safety Pick ratings for 2010 model vehicles – more than any other automaker
  • High-strength steel and composite reinforcements in the body structures of Ford’s newest vehicles helped these and other models earn the best possible rating in IIHS testing

DEARBORN, Mich., June 9, 2010 – Five more 2010 Ford Motor Company vehicles – Ford Flex, Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, Lincoln MKT and Mercury Milan – have earned Top Safety Picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The rating also applies to the Fusion Hybrid and Milan Hybrid.

 

Ford has 11 IIHS Top Safety Pick ratings for 2010 model vehicles – the most of any automaker – as well as the leading number of five-star safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

 

Flex, Fusion, MKZ, MKT and Milan previously earned top possible scores for occupant protection in IIHS’s front, side and rear tests, but had to pass IIHS’s new roof strength test to maintain the rating. Vehicles also must offer electronic stability control to be eligible for a Top Safety Pick.

 

“Leading the industry in both Top Safety Pick ratings and government five-star crash test ratings is very significant because customers increasingly consider IIHS and NHTSA ratings when choosing a new vehicle,” said Sue Cischke, Ford’s group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “These latest test results further demonstrate Ford’s commitment to continuous improvement on the safety front.”

 

Strong by design
Ford’s use of high-strength steels, including low-alloy, dual-phase and boron steel in the A- and B-pillars, roof headers and bows, rocker panels and rocker baffles of its newest vehicles helped the company perform well in IIHS testing. In addition, composite reinforcements were used to augment and stabilize the key pillar sections against collision forces.

 

Many new Ford vehicles are built with the company’s Trinity Front Crash Body Architecture. The energy-absorbing body structure is optimized for strength and stiffness, and designed to absorb and redirect crash forces away from the passenger compartment.

 

In addition, Ford’s Side Protection And Cabin Enhancement (SPACE®) Architecture is used to optimize side-impact occupant protection. The SPACE system integrates a high-strength steel structure in the floor that runs the width of the vehicle, and reinforcements along the rocker panels to help protect passengers in side-impact incidents.

 

“Ford’s use of high- and ultra-high-strength steels in our vehicles complements our development of advanced crash protection and crash avoidance technologies,” Cischke said. “With each new model year, we’re raising the bar on vehicle safety.”


Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Ford Adds Google Maps ‘Send To Sync’ Service To Beam Driving Directions Into Car; No Extra Cost

  • Ford adds Google Maps to its ‘Send to SYNC’ feature, allowing drivers to send destinations from Google Maps to their Ford vehicle through the cloud-based SYNC® Traffic, Directions & Information (TDI) app
  • Drivers download destination information into the vehicle via their Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones; the information will be processed into audible turn-by-turn directions, eliminating the need to bring printed maps into the car and helping drivers keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road
  • ‘Send to SYNC’ launches later this month and will be available for existing 2010-11 models equipped with SYNC TDI; no extra hardware, software updates or costs are required

Send To SYNC

 

DEARBORN, Mich., June 8, 2010 – Drivers who enjoy the convenience of Ford SYNC® with Traffic, Directions & Information (TDI) soon will be able to select a destination on Google Maps and send it to their Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicles.

‘Send to SYNC’ is a new capability added to the Ford Service Delivery Network, the company’s cloud-based architecture, which provides a suite of voice-activated services accessible through a customer’s mobile phone.

“Printing paper directions from a website is a relic in our digital age,” said Doug VanDagens, director of Ford Connected Services Solutions Organization. “With Send to SYNC, you can map a destination at home, at work – wherever you have connectivity – and when you get to your car, it already knows where you want to go. It’s convenient and it eliminates the waste and distraction of paper maps, conserving resources while helping drivers keep their eyes on the road.”

 

The SYNC TDI application leverages a customer’s mobile phone voice plan and the vehicle’s integrated GPS receiver to deliver location-based services, such as driving directions or business searches, and on-demand information such as horoscopes, news, movie listings and stock quotes. Since these services, including the new Send to SYNC functionality, are cloud-based, no vehicle updates are required and they will be available to all owners who have registered for TDI services through www.syncmyride.com.

 

When users visit Google Maps on the web to find locations, they will have the option to send a selected destination to their Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle via a “send” menu on the site. Once in the vehicle, the driver connects to SYNC TDI using the “Services” voice command, and when prompted, confirms the request to download the Google Maps destination into the vehicle.

 

The optimal route is calculated in the cloud using the latest traffic information, downloaded to the vehicle and navigation guidance begins. If the vehicle is equipped with a map-based navigation system, the destination point is downloaded directly to that system, which then calculates the route based on the in-vehicle navigation preferences set by the driver.

 

“Our cloud-based service network is helping deliver constant improvement for our customers, and has become a key reason why Ford leads the industry with SYNC,” said VanDagens. “We’re proud to be working with Google to bring this new capability to SYNC.”

 

The Google Maps ‘Send to SYNC’ capability launches later this month. Ford is currently the only automaker offering this capability without requiring a paid subscription to a telematics service.

 

Ford previously announced the same feature for MapQuest (owned by AOL), which will launch later this year.

 

2011 Ford Flex Brochure

Here is the 2011 Ford Flex Brochure

2011 Ford Flex Brochure

Download the 2011 Ford Flex Brochure (PDF)