Bob Hurley Ford News

Say goodbye to the pump – and high fuel prices too. Because the all-new Focus Electric runs entirely on an advanced high-voltage lithium-ion battery system, which means it will never need a drop of gas. And that's only one reason it earned a place at the International Consumer Electronics Show.

Say goodbye to the pump – and high fuel prices too. Because the all-new Focus Electric runs entirely on an advanced high-voltage lithium-ion battery system, which means it will never need a drop of gas. And that's only one reason it earned a place at the International Consumer Electronics Show.

Driver Distraction (Case Study)Ford: Driver Distraction (Case Study)Ford: Driver Distraction (Case Study)Over the past two decades, cellular phones have gone from clunky novelties to ubiquitous must-haves. Wireless subscriptions in the United States have grown from about 28 million in 1995 to about 270 million by 2009 a whopping 960 percent increase. The public has become accustomed to using cell phones everywhere at home, on the street, in restaurants, at the office, while shopping and of most interest to Ford's safety researchers while driving.

The ubiquity of cell phones coupled with the proliferation of portable music players in vehicles has heightened concerns about driver distraction. We at Ford agree that this is an important safety issue and we have taken steps to address it. We also believe that continued research is needed to better understand the complex interactions involved in this issue and we are participating in that research.

Just days before thousands of emergency communication professionals gather for the National Emergency Number Association 2010 conference, Ford announced new capability for the SYNC 911 Assist™ application. The system can now communicate a vehicle’s exact location using GPS coordinates provided to emergency responders.
The nonsubscription-based app remains available to customers at no additional cost; providing emergency operators access to GPS coordinates of a vehicle, another important tool that could help first responders reach the scene of an accident faster.
“Ford is committed to continuously enhancing the owner experience, and SYNC is a key part of that strategy,” said Doug VanDagens, Director of Ford Connected Services. “SYNC 911 Assist is free for the life of the vehicle, and now we’re making it perform even better. That adds unexpected value and peace of mind for the customer.”