At the TechCrunch Hackathon on Saturday, the 108-year-old, All-American automaker, Ford, teamed up with the newly-American music service, Spotify, to showcase the growing opportunities for developers looking to take advantage of in-car gadgetry to integrate their apps and mobile services.
Today at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, Ford looks to continue pushing forward with in-car connectivity and gadgetry, announcing a partnership with Bug Labs — an open-source hardware and software provider that tinkerers and engineers can use to create their own digital devices. The two companies will be collaborating on a new in-car research platform, named OpenXC, which looks to transform the car into a plug-and-play platform that will support open-source hardware and software to allow developers to make the car a playground for all kinds of cool new technologies. → Read More
Today at the TechCrunch Hackathon, Ford, the second largest automaker in the U.S., teamed with Spotify, the fast-growing Swedish music service that recently arrived in the states, to demonstrate the current opportunities for in-car app innovation as well as the new voice-activated Ford SYNC system. Just to clarify: This isn’t an “official partnership”, it’s just a cool hack meant to demonstrate how easy it is to integrate with SYNC. For those unfamiliar, Ford SYNC is the in-vehicle communications and entertainment system that allows drivers to make hands-free phone calls, as well as control music and other in-car entertainment with their very own vocal chords. SYNC recently added integration with AppLink (in 2011 Ford Fiestas for now) to allow hands-free use of smartphone apps in the car. → Read More
Ford Motor Company and the leading car-sharing network Zipcar have just announced a partnership that establishes Ford as Zipcar’s largest auto source for Zipcar’s University program. The new, two-year alliance will reach students at over 250 university campuses here in the U.S.
Ford will start shipping its vehicles, primarily the 2012 Ford Focus and Ford Escape, to colleges starting this week.
→ Read More
Ford Motor Company is teaming up with San Jose-based solar panel maker SunPower to offer a rooftop solar system option which will be sold alongside the upcoming Ford Focus EV. The “Drive Green for Life” program, as it’s being called, involves mounting solar panels on a customer’s home.
These panels wouldn’t be used just to charge the Focus itself, however. They actually help offset the cost that comes with having to charge the car, something which most electric car owners do every night.
→ Read More
The strange, sterile Second Life type world of Playstation Home has been missing something. No, not a soul or anything like that. It’s been missing virtual car dealerships. And Ford decided it was time that particular problem was addressed. → Read More
Today, Ford announced their partnership with AT&T to provide wireless service for the upcoming Ford Focus Electric. AT&T transmits vehicle data — much like Audi and T-Mobile — to Ford’s cloud that owners can access via any Android, BlackBerry, or iOS smartphone or web browser. → Read More
In order to squeeze out that last mile from a gallon of gas, Ford has come up with the SmartGauge with EcoGuide. It’s essentially a visual meter that lets drivers know when their foot is overly plumbum, coaching them to back off and slow acceleration. Ford was recently granted the two patents that makes their gauge unique from others. → Read More
To some, the Ford GT was probably one of the best cars ever built. But after 4,000 models and two model years, Ford quit building the iconic sports car. With all the momentum Ford has going these days, wouldn’t it be cool if they brought it back, again? There are rumors out there that say, yes, Ford will bring back the GT, but not as quite you’d remember it. → Read More
What’s the first thing you think when you hear the word “focus.” You might respond, “camera,” or “cheap car,” or “concentration,” but definitely not, “fun,” “technological,” or “practical.” This will likely change in a second because those are the words I’d use to tentatively describe this year’s Ford Focus, a small, sporty car for just about everybody. More Americans are ditching their gas-guzzling SUVs and heading straight for the small car market. From a marketing standpoint, Ford’s approach to selling a small car to people is by offering all the features found in their larger vehicles, but in a smaller package. No longer do people have to feel ashamed for “cheaping out” and getting a Focus, instead, it’s simply a lifestyle choice. Why should the choice take out all the fun of owning a car? I got a chance to drive the new 2012 Ford Focus last week in LA. Those in the area know the hills overtop the city feature some of the most entertaining roads in the country. → Read More
It seems not everyone is able to use the new MyFord Touch system. MyFord Touch is Ford’s new interface, displayed over three screens, that is the next generation of SYNC. While many young people, familiar with tech since birth, find the system generally easy to use, many of the older customers aren’t as tech savvy and have been having difficulty using MyFord. Therefore, Ford dealers are taking it up on their own to train their customers. → Read More
I’m not surprised that it’s a Mustang, a brand of car that’s always walked the line between consumer and enthusiast, that’s going through with this great idea. We all know Mustangs like to run, but the fact is they’ve been tamed somewhat by the necessities of everyday driving. Sure, you can still get a thrill when you put the pedal down, but if you were to take it to a track day, you’d wish you had it tuned for something more serious.
Enter the TracKey. → Read More
Sigh. Another crossover. Nearly every manufacturer makes at least a couple. So Ford did something that would have been unthinkable for the company just five years ago. They pushed the Edge away from the norm. The exterior sheet metal went from pedestrian to radical. The interior no longer looks like every other Ford model. This is what’s called risky innovation. The result is a love it or hate design — both inside in and out. I drove the Sport model of the redesigned 2011 Ford Edge for just about a full week. My initial impressions were slightly tainted from a previous stint in the vehicle, so I kind of knew up front that I would enjoy the ride but hate the brand new MyFord Touch in-vehicle infotainment system. Gradually though, the gigantic advantages of the MyFord Touch system overshadowed the laggy response and cluttered design. → Read More
It’s very apparent within seconds of sitting in the 2011 Ford Edge Sport that it’s different. It feels like the future. There are two LCD screens flanking a lovely analog speedometer, flush mounted inductive-type controls on the center stack and of course, a large infotainment screen. It’s like a car from the future! (It’s not) Inside is the latest generation of Ford’s in-vehicle system. Dubbed MyFord Touch, it’s reach and capabilities are unlike nearly anything else in the same price range. But this system isn’t just stuck in the center stack, tasked with the job of controlling the climate and radio. The MyFord Touch is also in the dash cluster in the form of two LCD screens. This is where it gets interesting and validates its place in Ford’s future. → Read More
With car sales starting to inch higher and the threat of bankruptcy only faintly visible in the rear-view mirror, Ford is loosening its purse strings once again.
On Monday afternoon, the Dearborn, Michigan based company announced that it will invest another $850 million into the development of more fuel efficient cars and technology.
That cash, which is earmarked for 2011 to 2013, is still contingent on whether the Michigan Economic Development Council approves a robust package of incentives (due for consideration later this week). According to reports— if the package gets the greenlight— Ford will benefit from roughly $400 million in state incentives. → Read More
Hopefully Audi’s Chairman Rupert Stadler is good at sharing. He’s not the only auto maker bigwig headlining CES 2011 anymore. Nope, Ford’s chief, Alan Mulally, is returning to the Consumer Electronic Show for the third time in as many years. He’s taking the podium on Friday, January 7th at 11 am and will no doubt talk up Ford’s impressive list of in-vehicle advancements. → Read More
One of the big conflicts in battery tech right now is how to keep the things at the right temperature. Nissan and Mitsubishi are going with air cooling, while Tesla, Chevy, and as of today Ford are all opting for liquid temperature regulation. Since few electrics are really on the road, it seems there isn’t sufficient data to go with one over the other. → Read More
Edging down Natchez Trace parkway, in the mountains just southwest of Nashville, a small convoy of journalists deftly put the new 2011 Ford Edge through its paces. When making passes along the route one couldn’t help but notice smiles gleaming on the faces of the other journos. We tested both the 22-inch rolling Edge Sport and the $10K cheaper Edge SEL. This vehicle is the first from Ford to include the new MyFord Touch system – a fully interactive suite of tools for your driving experience – and it was an experience. Remember when you were younger and imagined cars that drove themselves, listened and talked to you and offered beautiful displays to showcase information, that’s MyFord Touch – sans auto-drive, for now. → Read More
Ford just pulled the sheet off the brand new 2011 Ford Explorer. It’s a bit different than we’re used to. Traditionally next-gen SUVs are bigger and badder than the previous generation. While the 2011 Ford Explorer is slightly longer than its predecessors are, the engines are smaller, the ride height is lower, and the overall off-roading capabilities are dramatically reduced. Jalopnik Editor-in-Chief even goes as far as stating that it’s not an SUV at all. But I don’t think Ford would argue.
Ford is attempting to reinvent the SUV for the 21st century or some nonsense like that. But what they’ve created is more crossover than SUV. Where do I start? → Read More
Toyota settled a longstanding patent dispute today with Paice LLC, a firm that first sued the Japanese auto juggernauts back in 2004.
The technology disputed had to do with supplying torque from both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine to a car’s wheels, according to earlier reports by Bloomberg BusinessWeek and confirmed by a Paice spokesperson today. → Read More
Ford‘s 2011 Focus Electric will run on Compact Power Inc.’s lithium-ion battery, the company announced today. The batteries will initially be made in South Korea at CPI’s parent company, LG Chem, with plans to start manufacturing at a new $300 million site in Holland, Mich. in 2012.
The Focus Electric will be a full battery electric passenger car made at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, which used to mainly produce large SUVs. The Focus Electric is expected to travel up to 100 miles with zero tailpipe emissions. Ford said it plans to have five electric car models on the roads by 2012. → Read More
