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Mar

Ford SYNC offering Firewalls, Encryption to protect Car Drivers

Categories: Future Vehicles, Sync, ford, safety, security and technology
Tags: ford, safety, security, Sync

source: www.automotive.com

DEARBORN, Mich., March, 2010 With the rapid convergence of in-car technology and the Internet, Ford Motor Company said today it is offering a suite of security features to protect the personal information of millions of Ford owners from the threat of computer hackers and viruses.

Protecting customers is critical as Ford moves to the forefront of in-car personal technology. Ford’s popular SYNC system allows owners to connect digital media players and Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones to their vehicle’s entertainment system and operate them with voice commands. The mobile phone also is a gateway to a number of Internet cloud services through SYNC’s Traffic, Directions and Information application that provides turn-by-turn directions, business searches and more.

As a result, Ford is adapting methods and technologies most often associated with the fast-paced IT world to secure its mobile device-to-car connections from unwanted entry. Think firewalls, virus protection and password-controlled access.

Continue reading ‘Ford SYNC offering Firewalls, Encryption to protect Car Drivers’

Feb

Ford Unveils Transit Connect Electric Cargo Van, Will Enter Production This Year

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment

Categories: Electric, Future Vehicles, Transit Connect, ford, fuel efficiency, production line, technology and van
Tags: ford, fuel efficiency, Transit Connect, Electric, Cargo van, Force Drive

The Ford Motor company has just unveiled its first commercial electric vehicle. The Transit Connect Electric Cargo van will go into production in late 2010.

It is a small van weighing in at 3948 pounds with a wheelbase of 114.6 inches and a length of 1806. inches. It can hold from two to five passengers and a 1000 pound payload.

It is a pure electric vehicle utilizing a Siemens 3 phase AC induction motor and single speed transmission that offers 235 Nm of torque and a top speed of 75 mph on flat ground and 60 mph up 3 percent grade. It will do 0 to 60 in 12 seconds based on curb weight and 15 seconds based on gross vehicle weight rating.

Power comes from a liquid-cooled 28 kwh Johnson Controls-Saft lithium-ion pack that can be recharged in 6 to 8 hours at 240 volts using the industry standard J1772 SAE coupler. It has an 80 mile target driving range.

The vehicle is intended for commercial fleet use and is “well-suited for commercial fleets that travel predictable, short-range routes with frequent stop-and-go driving in urban and suburban environments and a central location for daily recharging,” said Ford in a press release.

The “Force Drive” electric powertrain is manufactured and integrated by specialty upfitter Azure Dynamics.

“We’re excited about the potential for our electrified vehicles,” said Praveen Cherian, program manager for the Transit Connect Electric, who added that today’s electric vehicle buyers are similar to early adopters of hybrid vehicles. “People were a little hesitant about hybrids at first, but now they accept it and embrace it. We expect the same will be true of electric vehicles.”

Ford says the vehicle will offer lower cost of operation than a comparable gas vehicle due to the low cost of electricity versus gas fuel and low cost of maintenance.

The vehicle including the battery pack is designed for a lifetime of 10 years/120,000 miles.

The current gasoline powered Transit Connect van won the 2010 North American Truck of the Year.

According to Ford spokesperson Jennifer Moore pricing has not been announced and will be “primarily for commercial use.” Ford ”would not exclude retail sales,” she added.

Ford has not yet determined whether the vans will be leased or sold.

“Volumes will be low to begin with to determine how the emerging market shapes up,” says Moore. ”Up to a thousand will be produced in the first full year of production.”

Ford also plans to bring out a pure electric Ford Focus in late 2011, and in 2012 they will produce their next generation C-class hybrid and plugin hybrid.

Feb

2011 Lincoln MKX on display at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment

Categories: Future Vehicles, Lincoln, MKX and technology
Tags: 2011 Lincoln MKX, Duratec, Fuel Rating

Ford unveils a new version of the Lincoln MKX at the 2010 auto show in Detroit. The 2011 model of the Lincoln MKX gets an upgrade in all aspects— exterior, interior, engine, and technology.

The new MKX looks like a totally different vehicle when seen from the front. The front fascia has been freshened up and the redesigned split wing grille gives it a distinctive look. The headlamps receive an HID treatment while the tail lamps use LED. The hood and more contoured lines of the sides give it a more aggressive stance. The oval exhaust tips give it a sportier appeal.

The Lincoln MXK has a Ford V-6 3.7L Duratec power plant under its hood. The engine makes use of new systems like the Ti-VCT or Twin Independent Camshaft Timing to give the car some more power and torque without sacrificing excellent fuel economy.

The new MKX has a better output of 305 horsepower with a 280 lb-ft of torque. The numbers are 15% (for the horsepower) and 12% (torque) better than the previous release. The powerful engine is paired with an automatic transmission with six speeds with an option to go on pseudo manual mode. The 2011 MKX has a fuel rating of up to 25 mile per gallon while cruising on the highway.

Inside the MKX, the most noticeable change is the instrument panel which has been upgraded to a touch-sensitive design. The new technology replaces traditional center-stack switches and knobs, giving a connected driver experience.

The first sales of the new Lincoln MKX is plotted to come before the end of 2010.

Jan

Mulally’s Turnaround Gives Ford CEO Star Status at Auto Show

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment

Categories: Auto Show, Ford Corporate, Public Affairs, Quality, production line and technology
Tags: ford, Alan Mulally, Auto Show

By Keith Naughton

Jan. 13 (Bloomberg) — Ford Motor Co. Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally, whose company gained market share in the U.S. last year while his domestic rivals went bankrupt, is the toast of the North American International Auto Show this week.

At the opening press conference Jan. 11, Mulally walked onto a stage in Detroit’s Cobo Arena, where the rock band Kiss recorded a live album in the 1970s. On a screen above him, a globe covered with positive Ford headlines from 2009 spun while Mulally spoke of Ford’s “growth in every region around the world.” The audience filling the red vinyl seats roared.

Ford swept the show’s awards for car and truck of the year and unveiled the Focus compact. The car, which Mulally plans to sell worldwide, attracted throngs of media and auto executives. At Ford’s 54,000-square-foot exhibit, which covers almost a quarter of the convention floor, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi huddled with Mulally amid red and silver Focus models, while a velvet rope kept reporters at bay.

“We’re not talking about just surviving,” Mulally said during a Jan. 11 filet mignon dinner with reporters at the MGM Grand Detroit casino. “I came to Ford to help turn around a global and American icon.”

Mulally’s star turn comes after a year of moves that set Ford apart from its domestic rivals — avoiding a bankruptcy and federal bailout. The company began the month by posting its first annual gain in U.S. market share since 1995 and the best sales growth in December among its peers.

Continue reading ‘Mulally’s Turnaround Gives Ford CEO Star Status at Auto Show’

Jan

Ford Motor’s “myFord Touch” – one of the most eagerly-awaited products at CES!

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment

Categories: Future Vehicles, Lincoln, ford and technology
Tags: 2010, CES, Edge, ford, Lincoln, MKX, myFord Touch

Ford Motor’s new automobile interface and dashboard design, called “myFord Touch,” which is scheduled to be rolled out the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, happens to be one of the most eagerly-awaited products to be unveiled at the event.

As per the information forwarded by the Ford executives, the launch of “myFord Touch” will make the analog gauges and dashboard buttons things of the past, giving way to full-color, touch- sensitive computer screens. Incorporating the updated, Microsoft-partnered ‘Ford Sync’ technology, “myFord Touch” will integrate voice recognition, graphic screens and touch controls on the steering wheel.

The new interface will feature nested menus, five-way thumb controls and an animated, 3D carousel browser. The driver will be able to customize most of the information displayed on the monitors, thereby allowing them “to be connected to an integrated world.”

Jason Johnson, one of the engineers who designed the interface, said: “MyFord really is about managing information. The steering wheel has all the necessary functions available in a very compact area, right where your hand falls as you grab the wheel.”

While Ford intends adding “myFord Touch” to all models across its product line eventually, the system will initially be introduced in the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. In 2012, the system will be available worldwide in Ford’s most economical model – the Ford Focus; thereby reflecting the company’s move to “democratize” the high-end, safety-centered technology.