As States Mull Bans, Ford Improves SYNC To Give Drivers Safer Alternatives To Hand-Held Texting

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• Ford adds “Do Not Disturb” button to block incoming calls and texts on new MyFord Touch-equipped vehicles and proactive feature content “lock-outs” to encourage use of voice control
• In addition, Ford integrates new Bluetooth Message Access Profile (MAP) into SYNC for all MyFord Touch-equipped vehicles so more drivers can have texts read aloud to them while driving
• Research In Motion (RIM), maker of BlackBerry smartphones, plans to adopt MAP and enable SYNC audible text messaging capability to work with all new smartphones; Ford urges other phone manufacturers to follow

 

DEARBORN, Mich., July 8, 2010 – As the issue of texting while driving grows in prominence nationally, Ford Motor Company is expanding its SYNC technology with new features to give drivers safer alternatives to hand-held texting and keep them more focused on the road.

 

To help make the in-car connection safer, Ford is improving the SYNC text message readback feature and empowering drivers with a “Do Not Disturb” button so they can decide the level of connectivity and communications they want to manage while in the car. Ford is also taking the proactive step to “lock-out” capabilities that are not relevant to the task of driving while the vehicle is in motion.

 

“Text messaging has become the default communications method for consumers of all ages,” said John Schneider, chief engineer, Ford multimedia and infotainment engineering. “The power of SYNC voice control combined with Ford’s latest connectivity improvements will reduce the temptation to pick up the phone and take your eyes off the road, providing a safer solution for the use of mobile devices in the car.”

 

Ford believes drivers should keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel and was the first automaker to support a proposed federal ban and state-level legislation banning hand-held texting while driving. In turn, Ford also understands that drivers want to be connected to their mobile worlds while on the road, and texting continues to grow as a preferred communication method. According to a new poll from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, for example, approximately one in four (27%) American adults and driving age teens (26%) admit to texting while driving.

 

Ford will offer the new features on 2011 model year vehicles equipped with MyFord or MyLincoln Touch, the intuitive driver connect technology that provides drivers personalized access to information and entertainment through voice control, touch screens and familiar five-way controls mounted on the steering wheel.

 

Bluetooth MAP
Bluetooth is the standard technology that allows electronic devices such as a mobile phone and Ford SYNC to communicate with each other wirelessly. To improve the number of phones that can “communicate” with SYNC so the system can read aloud incoming text messages to drivers, Ford has adopted the latest Bluetooth standard – Message Access Profile (MAP).

 

“Today, only a small population of phones have the capability to work with the text message readback feature of SYNC,” added Schneider. “With MAP technology, even more drivers will be able to use SYNC to listen to text messages.”

 

Defined by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the MAP standard outlines a set of features and procedures used to exchange email, SMS, and MMS messages between devices. It is tailored to the automotive hands-free environment where an onboard terminal device – in this case, SYNC – takes advantage of the messaging capability of a communications device, such as a BlackBerry smartphone.  

 

The Bluetooth SIG recommendations are considered benchmarks, but they’re not industry requirements. Ford has elected to implement the MAP to signal support for the protocol and encourage additional mobile device manufacturers to add the capability in their products.

 

“It’s only through acceptance of common standards industry-wide that key technologies can be adapted to the in-vehicle environment,” said Schneider. “We’re hoping to encourage the adoption of MAP so more customers – and more mobile devices – can successfully use the innovative features SYNC has to offer, helping reduce the problem of driver distraction.”

 

According to a 100-car study conducted by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, driver inattention that involved looking away from the road for more than a few seconds was a factor in nearly 80 percent of accidents. By providing drivers with the ability to receive audible, hands-free texts, Ford is hoping to help drivers focus on the task of driving.

 

Ford is already working with Research In Motion (RIM) and supports the company’s intention to begin implementing it in all new BlackBerry smartphones.

 

“RIM plans to implement MAP on BlackBerry smartphones moving forward and we are pleased to work with Ford in an effort to foster industry-wide adoption and standardization,” said Andrew Bocking, Vice President, Handheld Software Product Management at Research In Motion.

 

“Do Not Disturb” and locked features
Ford has also proactively designed the MyFord and MyLincoln Touch driver connect system to give drivers more control of how they manage communications while in the car. Screens can be personalized to display information relevant to an individual driver using a simple button click, voice command or touch-screen tap.

 

The new 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX will be first to offer the “Do Not Disturb” button. This handy feature blocks incoming phone calls or text messages from a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone paired with SYNC; diverting calls into voicemail and saving text messages on the device for viewing later. But unlike turning the phone off, drivers can still make voice-activated outgoing phone calls, if they so decide, and the SYNC 911 Assist feature can make a call to 911 in case of emergency.

 

In addition, Ford continues to limit access to a variety of communication features while the vehicle is in motion, thus encouraging drivers to use voice commands if they wish to access the function.

 

Ford is also taking the proactive step of locking out or limiting content and capabilities of MyFord Touch that are not related to the task of driving when the vehicle is in motion, for instance:

• Screens with information not intended to be used by the driver while driving such as point-of-interest reviews and ratings plus SIRIUS Travel Link sports scores, movie listings, and ski conditions
• Any action that requires typing on a keypad (e.g. typing a navigation destination, editing information)
• Limiting lists of navigation and phone choices that the user can view to fewer entries (e.g. phone contacts, recent phone call entries)

Specific functions that are locked out when the vehicle is in motion:

• Cell Phone
  • Pairing a Bluetooth-capable phone
  • Manually adding individual contacts into the Phonebook
  • Viewing received text messages on screen
• WiFi Connectivity
  • Web browsing on the vehicle screen
• Video/Photos/Graphics
  • Playing video
  • Album cover art and Phonebook photo browsing
  • Editing photos
  • Editing the screen’s wallpaper or adding a new one
• Navigation
  • Destination entry by touchscreen keyboard input (voice entry is permissible)

Ford CEO Alan Mulally To Serve On The President's Export Council

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NOTE TO EDITOR: Today, President Barack Obama announced that Ford CEO Alan Mulally will serve on the President's Export Council (PEC). The PEC advises the President on export enhancement and ways to encourage companies to increase exports and enter new markets. The following is a statement from Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally:

 

DETROIT, MI, July 7, 2010. – “President Obama recently set a national goal of doubling U.S. exports over the next five years. We applaud this forward-looking goal and I am honored to serve on the President's Export Council and work toward helping America achieve it.

 

At Ford, we believe an export-driven strategy is critical to achieving our shared goals of economic growth, job creation and a sustainable future. One thing is certain. For exports to grow we must ensure that market access for manufactured goods remains at the center of U.S. trade policy. Manufacturing matters to American jobs, investment, and economic activity. It represents the future of green, hi-tech jobs that will drive innovation and it also happens to represent more than 60 percent of U.S. exports. Through the President's Export Council, I hope we can also explore ways to create and bolster public-private partnerships that will create the environment for innovative manufacturing that will drive exports.”

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

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• 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.

 

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.

2011 Ford Super Duty Brochure

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Here is the 2011 Ford Super Duty Brochure

 

 

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2011 Ford Taurus Brochure

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

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• 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

 

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.”

 

2011 Ford Mustang Brochure

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2011 Ford Fiesta Brochure

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