Nissan’s quick charge stations drastically reduce charging times, charging a fully depleted Nissan LEAF to 80 percent capacity in approximately 30 minutes. The initial goal for the initiative is to deploy the 48 Nissan-branded quick chargers primarily in California and on the East Coast.

As a part of the initiative, CarCharging will continue to educate consumers about how the EV charging infrastructure enhances the adoption and use of electric cars. This campaign will include tools to communicate the charging opportunities for drivers without private garages, such as residents of apartment and condo communities; the ease and benefits of public EV charging; and charging subscription offerings.

CarCharging is also developing a mobile application to provide real-time charging station location information with turn-by-turn directions and access capability for all CarCharging EV charging stations, including ChargePoint and Nissan’s quick chargers. CarCharging will also offer its proprietary evCharge card at no cost to all Leaf drivers at participating Nissan dealerships. The evCharge card allows drivers to initiate use and payment at all public charging stations on the ChargePoint Network, the largest national online network connecting EV drivers to EV charging stations.

EV drivers can easily pinpoint the new quick charger stations as well as all of CarCharging’s EV charging station locations and request CarCharging’s evCharge card via its website at www.CarCharging.com.

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With a smartphone connected to SYNC, Ford drivers can launch Pandora by pressing the voice button on the steering wheel and saying “mobile applications” and “Pandora” at the prompts. With Pandora running, drivers can select from their existing personalized stations or create new ones on the fly without taking their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road.

“It’s been great to have Pandora along for the ride as we built our AppLink development platform over the past several years,” said Doug Van Dagens, Ford global director of connected services. “Ford customers love both AppLink and Pandora, and we’re excited that through this partnership, they will be able to enjoy their favorite personalized radio stations on the road ad-free through the end of 2013.”

SYNC AppLink is the industry-first connectivity interface that enables drivers to directly control compatible mobile apps using simple voice commands. Pandora – the first app enabled to work with AppLink when Ford introduced it in 2010 – recently surpassed the 200 million registered users milestone and now streams tracks from more than 100,000 artists per month. More than 69 million users access Pandora at least once every month and more than 140 million have used the mobile app on a smartphone or tablet.

There are more than 30 apps compatible with SYNC AppLink available on the Apple iOS and Google Android platforms, with more on the way.

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Developers must submit either a working Android app or a link to a Web app, along with screenshots and a video demonstrating the working app

The Personalized Fuel Efficiency App Challenge was announced last month at the New York International Auto Show by Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president of global marketing, sales and service and Lincoln, with the goal of providing drivers with tools that show how they are using fuel and where they can save.

 “We’re really excited to see just what consumers and developers come back to us with on sharing and understanding their own fuel economy performance,” said Farley. “The aim of the challenge is to empower drivers with the information they need to drive smarter and to find ways to share that information in order to help others understand what fuel economy they can expect in various driving situations.”

A recent survey of consumer attitudes conducted by Penn Schoen Berland for Ford affirms the increasing importance of fuel economy:

• Half of all drivers measure their fuel economy every time they fill the tank or have the car serviced
• Most consumers would change the way they drive if they knew it would significantly improve fuel economy: 79 percent would change acceleration, 68 percent would change their speed and 62 percent would choose a different route
• Nearly three out of four drivers said they already make an effort to drive more efficiently

“We see the car as a platform on which others can create and build solutions tailored to individual needs,” said Venkatesh Prasad, Ford senior technical leader for open innovation.

Developers can use the open-source OpenXC hardware and software development kit to read a wide array of real-time vehicle data and pull these into either mobile or Web-based apps. The apps can then be used to inform drivers with coaching for more fuel efficient driving, route comparisons to help identify the most efficient path to a destination or help in finding available parking.

App submissions will be evaluated on three primary criteria – viability, user interface design and vehicle data.

• Viability: Since the goal of the challenge is to help drivers better understand their personal fuel consumption, making the app as easy to use as possible is critical to success. Automated data capture and analysis that minimizes the need for driver self-reporting will make apps more viable
• User interface: Whether on a smartphone or in a desktop browser, user interfaces that present tangible information the driver can actually use and act upon are preferable to basic data visualization
• Vehicle data: Developers will get higher marks for innovative employment of vehicle data, including fusion of multiple data types into meaningful signals, that can help the driver use less fuel

The challenge is open to individuals, teams and organizations of up to 50 people. Larger organizations can also enter for the chance to get recognition awards, but those entries will not be eligible for cash prizes. The expert panel will consist of five to seven judges with members from inside and outside of Ford.

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The posters include Iron Patriot by Jorge Molina, Mark XLII by John Tyler Christopher, Mark XXXVIII by Ron Lim, Mark XVII by Andrea Di Vito and Mark XXXIX by Mike Perkins. The final poster, earlier deemed a “sub-orbital” suit, is now nicknamed “Starboost” and, judging from the image, it appears to have some range outside Earth’s atmosphere. For details on how you can win one of the five designs, click here.

Iron Man 3 also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale, Jon Favreau, Ben Kingsley and Wang Xuequi.

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“Consumers are looking for help when it comes to understanding their own fuel economy performance,” said Farley. “By connecting through technology already built into our cars, we have the capability to share information that will empower drivers to better understand, learn from and improve their personal fuel efficiency.”

There are a lot of elements that factor into personal fuel efficiency including weather, terrain, traffic conditions and individual driving styles. The goal of the developer challenge is to find ways to help drivers to optimize fuel efficiency during their time on the road. By mashing up real-time data provided by the car with the vast quantities of real-time and historical data available online developers can detect patterns and deliver products, services and experiences that are tailored to a market size of one.

Over the next several months, developers will have the opportunity to develop and submit software applications. Entries will be evaluated on criteria such as how the developers use vehicle data, design a consumer-friendly user interface and demonstrate product viability. Developers are encouraged to include the fusion of multiple data types, novel algorithms, and data aggregation techniques and interfaces that are tailored to assist users in changing their behavior.

More than 1,500 developers have registered to download the OpenXC software development kit since it became publicly available in January 2013. The OpenXC platform site includes some example projects built with the kit such as a customizable gauge, nighttime collision warning and a Bluetooth heads-up display. OpenXC is an open-source platform developed by Ford for research applications, and consists of a software and hardware development kit that enables access to a wide array of vehicle data that may be used as inputs to apps.

Using the on-board diagnostics (OBD-II) port found on every new car built since 1996, OpenXC can read real-time sensor data such as mileage, longitude, latitude, throttle position, engine and vehicle speed, as well as calculated values including instantaneous and average fuel efficiency. Ford also provides OpenXC with access to additional nonstandard messages such as whether a vehicle’s windshield wipers are on or off.

“We see the car as a platform on which others can create and build solutions tailored to individual needs,” said Venkatesh Prasad, Ford senior technical leader for Open Innovation. “Vehicle personalization has been around since the dawn of the car, but OpenXC puts Ford at the leading edge of taking it to the next level,” he added.

Ford will award a total of $50,000 in prizes for the best submissions. More details about the Challenge are available at http://ford.challengepost.com.

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“We regularly identify apps that our owners rely on as part of their everyday life, and adapt them for an in-vehicle experience they’ll find safe, useful and engaging,” said Product Manager for BMW Group Apps Platform Phil Johnston. “Audible, Glympse, Rhapsody and TuneIn were natural additions to the family of ‘BMW Apps Ready’ apps.” He added that integrating access to audiobook provider Audible was “the next logical way to expand audio entertainment for drivers.” The announcement marks the first time the service has agreed to be bundled into an automaker’s entertainment system.

In addition, the use of Glympse allows drivers to inform friends and family of their location and estimated time of arrival in a manner considered safer than attempting to communicate the information by voice conversation. Rhapsody offers subscription plans for streaming music, and TuneIn delivers live talk, music and sports stations from around the world. All four apps are “fully integrated,” meaning drivers can control the apps from controls on the steering wheel or console of the car.

The BMW Apps option is available in 2001 and later BMW models. Using the free BMW Connected app from the App Store, drivers can access Twitter and Facebook updates, locate their parked vehicle, unlock doors, and stream other audio services such as Pandora and Stitcher, as well as control a number of other iPhone functions through the iDrive controller, steering wheel buttons or on-board monitor.

The automaker will demo the full suite of BMW Approved Apps at the New York International Auto Show on March 27 and 28. The BMW services are also available for the Mini Cooper line of vehicles. The named applications will need to release updates before the apps are compatible with the BMW Apps framework. No announcement about Android app integration has yet been made.

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The 30-second ad features the car being driven while the driver interacts with Siri, working seamlessly with Chevrolet’s own built-in MyLink entertainment and information system (which also works with other smartphone platforms, but with somewhat less functionality). Drivers can use MyLink to speak directly with Siri in order to control the iTunes library; listen to and reply to SMS and iMessage text messages; initiate hands-free calls to any contacts on the user’s device that have phone numbers, and interact with Calendar functions, including setting and being alerted to upcoming events.

In addition, users can access other Siri functions such as having it read aloud any notifications, hear and create reminders, access Apple Maps to get directions, and other normal Siri functions. Other carmakers that will be incorporating Siri Eyes-Free into some of their new models include Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota.

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The program allows participating Ford dealers across Germany to offer cars and service to customers in their town, allowing easy access to shared cars and to experience Ford vehicles.

Car sharing was part of Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford’s keynote address on the future of mobility at the February 2012 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. As outlined in the company’s Blueprint for Mobility, dealing with growing congestion and environmental concerns will require the development of a true network of mobility solutions, with personal vehicle ownership complemented by greater use of connected and efficient shared services, and completely new business models contributing to improved personal mobility.

More than half of Europeans would consider car sharing, either through a formal program or through private arrangements, a Ford Motor Company-sponsored poll shows. Drivers increasingly see car sharing programs as a viable option, particularly in dense urban areas where parking can be problematic, and public transit can meet many but not all transportation needs. Ready and affordable access to a pool of available vehicles can provide on-demand transportation flexibility. The company revealed the survey findings as Ford of Germany this week launched FORD2GO.

“Ford understands that for some of our customers – as this survey shows – car sharing is an attractive option,” said Bernhard Mattes, chairman of Ford of Germany and vice president, Ford Customer Service Division, Ford of Europe. “As a company, we are committed to a collaborative and integrated approach to future mobility, and the FORD2GO service is another significant step in exploring exactly how that future could look.”

European Views on Car Sharing

The Futures Company last July and August did a survey of  6,028 people across six European countries; Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and U.K. to better understand the opinions and attitudes of Europeans across a range of mobility issues here are some of the results when it comes to car sharing:

Of the 56 percent surveyed who said they would consider car sharing, 27 percent would be most attracted by reduced travel costs, 26 percent by convenience of location and operating hours, 23 percent by a straightforward booking system and 22 percent by a reduced impact on the environment.

Phone Apps to Support the Service

DB Rent has developed a Web-based booking system along with iOS and Android smartphone apps for private and commercial customers participating in the Ford car sharing program.

Time Frame

FORD2GO will be rolled out throughout the coming year. Ford’s German trade network includes 527 Ford dealers, 257 affiliated branches and 1,083 Ford-authorized repair shops – any and all of which would be able to take part in the program.

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The link lets people make calls and texts to iOS contacts, have texts read out to them, and listen to their music library. It can also handle more conventional Siri tasks, such as accessing calendar appointments.

Siri Eyes Free support has been announced by a number of different carmakers. Aside from Chevrolet, supporting companies include Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota. Relatively few models have the technology equipped however, since Bluetooth and systems like MyLink are often expensive features.

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A letter from automotive trade associations has been sent to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski in protest of the plans, reports Bloomberg. Parallels were drawn with the LightSquared wireless broadband network proposal, which was at first approved by the FCC, before it was discovered that the signals affected GPS equipment. By opening nearby spectrum to other devices, the possibility of crosstalk or interference with the allocated-to-automotive bands could effectively cause an accident to occur.

The systems currently being developed allows cars at short range to communicate automatically, with data such as speeds, changes in direction, and other important details being transferred between the cars, with the ultimate goal of reducing collisions and vehicular accidents. Currently undergoing testing in Ann Arbor Michigan inside 3,000 vehicles, the technology is said by automakers to cost as little as $100 per vehicle to install, both from new and as an after-market option.

The FCC will be voting on the Wi-Fi proposal on February 20th.

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The feature integrates iOS devices with a car’s voice command systems, and puts a trigger button on the steering wheel, ensuring that a person never has to look down at an iPhone or iPad to talk to Siri. It also prevents a device from lighting up every time a Siri command goes through. Hyundai included, 10 car brands now have Eyes-Free: the others are Audi, BMW, Chevy, Chrysler, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota.

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Great news for those of who love a nice small peppy card and tech.  Beginning next year, Ford will offer MyFord Touch with a new 6.5-inch LCD touch screen available on the 2014 Ford Fiesta.  Currently, you can only get SYNC and mono LCD on the Fiesta (see photo to the right).

Ford announced the refreshed Fiesta at the Paris Motor Show, but we’ll have to wait to see what is all in store for the North American version of the car when it hits the floor of the Los Angeles Auto show on November 30.

MyFord Touch will be an optional upgrade from the Sync system, and it will offer features such as Bluetooth connectivity and voice recognition.

“Technology features are important to all of our customers including small car buyers, and MyFord Touch continues to drive up purchase consideration of our vehicles,” says Michelle Moody, Ford cross-vehicle marketing manager. “MyFord Touch is appealing to customers, as it consistently ranks among the top 10 purchase considerations with new owners. We’re excited to bring it to the small car segment, where it will really help Fiesta stand out from the crowd.”.

MyFord Touch, the latest version is simpler to use than the system’s original software.  This move by Ford should aid it sales in the segment where the Fiesta battles with the Chev Sonic, Kia Soul, Mazda 3 to win customers hearts and dollars.

“We are seeing strong brand lift from MyFord Touch amongst in-market shoppers, with 65 percent of those intending to purchase a vehicle reporting SYNC definitely plays a role in their purchase consideration,” says Moody. “Take rates for MyFord Touch on new vehicle orders, such as the 2013 Escape and Fusion, continue to outpace our internal projections. We expect the same trend for Fiesta.”

Besides the new MyFord Touch 6.5-inch touch screen, the 2014 Fiesta will launch with the latest SYNC software that adds new features including:

• Simplified Bluetooth phone pairing: When pairing, the driver simply has to hit “OK” if the PIN on the phone and touch screen match each other
• More natural voice recognition: Drivers can now simply say “Play <name>” when requesting a specific artist, song, album or genre of music (i.e. “Play jazz” versus “Play genre jazz”)
• Improved voice recognition accuracy: The latest version of Nuance’s speech software, VoCon 3200 v4.2, improves overall voice recognition performance
• Flattened audio command structure: At any time, drivers can say the station frequency, “AM 760,” or the official name of the Sirius station, like “CNN,” to tune in; drivers no longer need to say “Radio” or “Sirius” to indicate their desire to listen to those audio sources
• Simplified navigation controls: The destination entry screen has been improved to help make it easier to enter an address

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Ford’s automotive business units – The Americas (including both North America and South America); Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific – will report to Fields. Also reporting to Fields will be most of the company’s functional skill teams, including Product Development; Manufacturing and Labor Affairs; Purchasing; Quality; Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering; Information Technology; Government and Community Relations; Marketing, Sales and Service; and Communications.

The company also made several other concurrent leadership announcements, also effective Dec. 1, including:

• Joe Hinrichs is named executive vice president and president of The Americas; Hinrichs is currently group vice president and president of Asia Pacific Africa
• Stephen Odell is named executive vice president and president of Europe, Middle East and Africa; Odell is currently group vice president, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe; Africa is being realigned with Europe and the Middle East under Odell to take advantage of profitable growth opportunities and efficiencies
• Jim Farley is named executive vice president of Global Marketing, Sales and Service and Lincoln; Farley, who is currently a group vice president, adds operating responsibility as the senior global leader for Lincoln, working together with the company’s business units and functions on the re-invention of Lincoln as a world-class, global luxury brand
• David Schoch is named group vice president and president of Asia Pacific; Schoch is currently chairman and CEO, Ford of China
• John Lawler is elected a Ford Motor Company vice president and named chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China; Lawler is currently CFO, Ford Asia Pacific Africa

“Today marks an important next step in the profitable growth of the Ford Motor Company and the appointment of key leaders who will help us continue to make progress on our One Ford plan,” Bill Ford said. “The strength of our people and stability of our team are competitive advantages for Ford. We are fortunate to have Alan’s continued leadership as well as talented senior leaders throughout our company who are developing and working together and delivering on our plan.”

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The book contains photographs which were taken by every Formula One driver and team boss and were sold in aid of London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSHCC). The photos lift the lid on the private lives of the world’s most famous racing drivers, and include Lewis Hamilton’s ‘driver’s eye’ view from the cockpit of his car in the pits at Spa-Francorchamps, Sebastian Vettel’s favourite Alpine scene and Bruno Senna’s beach paradise.

The drivers and team principals of every F1 team were asked to take a photograph of their chosen subject and those images were auctioned by Coys in aid of GOSHCC online and at a star-studded live auction in September.

Michael Schumacher’s view from the driving seat of his Mercedes was the most sought after photograph and fetched £2,500 under the hammer. The seven-time world champion said: “I am delighted that my ‘the office’ photograph fetched so much for this very worthwhile cause. The image encapsulates F1 for me; the cockpit is where I feel completely at home and everything else is second nature. Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity has a strong link to our sport and I was glad to be able to support them through the Zoom auction.”

The 104-page hardback book is published by Dennis Publishing and will be released on Thursday October 25. The standard edition will retail at £20, but there is also a limited edition of just 250 copies, with a leather cover and slipcase, priced at £75.

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Now we have learned that “fresh from the showroom” smell might be harmful. It is better to not have the any bromine-based flame retardants scents in the cabin and used PVC-free (polyvinyl chloride) fabrics and trim in the interior.

Now Ford along with the University of Michigan Researchers are fighting another odor and potential health issue source – microbes in new cars and trucks.

These microscopic organisms including mold and mildew can quickly take hold and spread over a variety of surfaces leading to discoloration, something an air freshener just cannot not mask.

And we know you try to mask those smells. Market research firm Mintel reports Americans spend approximately $2.3 billion annually on air fresheners including hanger products found dangling from car mirrors. So this is a problem many of face, not just those of us who live in the Pacific NorthWet of Seattle and Portland.

Plus for many people out there, they do not want to exposes their children, family members or they themselves may be sensitive to chemicals used in those air fresheners.  Or they may simply don’t care for the scents of many air fresheners.

Here is a another fun fact; Americans spend more than $1 billion annually on a variety of products including lotions, wipes and sprays to fight microbial growth.

So What Can Be Done?

Working with University of Michigan researchers lead by microbial ecologist Dr. Blaise Boles, Ford engineers studied vehicle interiors to learn where these microbes grow and developed interior coating formulations that could resist and potentially even reverse microbial growth. The antimicrobial-treated coating is currently undergoing real-world testing in Ford development vehicles and is being evaluated for potential use in future Ford vehicles.

“Vehicle cabins are exposed to a wide variety of environmental conditions that can make them microbial breeding grounds,” said Cindy Peters, Ford Motor Company technical expert. “Based on growing consumer desire for health and wellness solutions, we decided to take a look at the interiors in Ford vehicles with the goal of creating a cleaner, more aesthetically pleasing environment for our customers.”

They took took swabs from 10 locations in the vehicle interior including the steering wheel, radio buttons, door handles, window switches and gear shift knobs. The U-M researchers found significant bacteria growth at most of the test locations with the highest concentrations on the steering wheel and the area around the cupholders.

“Our findings suggest car interiors are complex ecosystems that house trillions of diverse microorganisms interacting with each other, with humans, and with their environment,” said Boles, assistant professor in the U-M Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. “The long-term goal is to define the microbial ecology of the car interior and to optimize the design of car interiors to promote comfort and environmental sustainability.”

“We weren’t surprised to find microbial hot spots on the steering wheel, since that is where a driver’s hands are most of the time,” added Peters. “The console area near the cupholders is a common location for spilled drinks, so it provides an ideal feeding ground for microbes.” (I think we’ve all had scary thoughts about what might be growing in the cupholders of our cars)

Cars and trucks generally have a much longer life span than antimicrobial products most of us use at home, plus vehicles operate in a wider range of environmental conditions than we ever want found in our homes and places of work.  On top of that owners want their cars and trucks to look great and work great for many years.

With all of that in mind, The team focused their attention on three commonly used and EPA-approved antimicrobial additives including silver-ion, ammonium salt and polyolefin wax with a nano-silver coating. Panels painted with four different formulations were then evaluated back at the U-M lab to assess the growth rates of microorganisms.

The winner was the silver-ion additive, sold under the trade name Agion. Parts coated with the Agion-infused paint showed clear beat out parts with the current production paint. Even after simulating many years of use, the Agion-infused coating was still nearly as effective as it was when brand-new. The additive also had little impact on the gloss and color change of the surfaces over the test period.

How Does It Work

Agion, based on elemental ions, works by starving, sterilizing and suffocating the microbes to prevent them from growing and reproducing.

Ford is doing more “real world” testing to  evaluated the coating for potential use in future Ford vehicles to provide a pleasant cabin environment over the long haul.

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Though it will continue to make and market chips for mobile devices, it will reduce the amount of capital it funnels to those businesses. “We believe that opportunity is less attractive as we go forward,” said senior VP for TI’s embedded processing unit, Greg Delagi, at an investor meeting. Delagi believes the embedded processor market represents a better business opportunity for TI in the long run.

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Siri integration in the Spark and Sonic would represent something of a reversal in Chevrolet’s usual technology strategy. Typically, the company implements technological advancements in its high-end models before allowing them to trickle down to less expensive cars. The Spark and Sonic already feature Chevrolet’s smartphone-driven MyLink entertainment feature, though; and both are targeted at younger, more tech-savvy buyers, for whom Siri would likely be a considerable draw.

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“We want Silicon Valley to view Ford as a platform that is open, accessible and ready for their innovative ideas and technologies,” said Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president of Ford Research and Advanced Engineering. “We are looking for unexpected solutions for the future, and we believe Silicon Valley is the right place to round out our global research organization.

Ford’s Silicon Valley Lab will serve as a local touch point for the many relationships Ford already has with Bay Area technology (companies and startups. Its core mission, though, is to operate as an independent lab focused on three key areas supporting the future of personal mobility:

• Big data – Ford is increasingly a data-driven company, fusing both internal and external sources to shape product and marketing offerings and support strategic decision making. In addition, vehicle data from the growing list of sensing technologies built into the car can be used locally to create a more personalized, convenient and productive driving experience, then aggregated to help address congestion and improve efficiency.
• Open-source innovation – Viewing the car as a platform and providing access to real-time data allows for the rapid development of custom hardware and software applications. Ford has extensive experience in development of on-board and off-board applications for the SYNC in-car connectivity system. Now the Silicon Valley Lab is looking at open-source development using the research platform OpenXC developed with Bug Labs.
• User experience – Information and services need to be presented to the driver in ways that don’t take away from the primary task of operating the vehicle. Ford is rethinking how drivers and passengers interact with vehicles as well as how vehicles should interact with them. Innovations in design and new technologies can help to optimally organize, filter and deliver content.

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The Birth of SYNC

In 2005, Ford was looking for ways to change both its perception and its culture.”We saw connectivity as a way to change that paradigm,” said Doug VanDagens, now global director of Ford Connected Services and an early team member working on the SYNC project. At the same time, Microsoft was breaking into the automotive market with its Windows CE embedded operating system.

SYNC Today

SYNC debuted in the 2008 Focus, Ford’s most affordable car offering at the time, as a $395 option. More than 4 million Ford vehicles are already on the road with SYNC, a population expected to grow to more than 9 million by 2015 as SYNC goes global.

The SYNC software platform has provided for a regular cadence of new features, many of which have been made available to customers as a simple downloadable update they can install at home or by visiting a local Ford dealer.

New Features Have Included

• 911 Assist (2008)  an automatic emergency calling feature that uses the customer’s Bluetooth-paired cell phone to directly call 911 if there has been an airbag deployment.
• Vehicle Health Report (2008)  an on-demand diagnostic report that gets produced on-board the vehicle and sent via data-over-voice through the customer’s cell phone in order to be accessed through the www.syncmyride.com Web portal.
• SYNC Services (2009)  with the addition of a GPS module to the SYNC module inside the car, Ford created an off-board network of service providers that could be accessed with a simple voice command, “Services,” leveraging a customer’s mobile phone voice plan for voice-activated, personalized news, traffic, turn-by-turn navigation, weather reports and other information.
• Send to SYNC (2010)  using SYNC Services, customers could now send a destination address from either MapQuest or Google Maps straight to their car for easy download of turn-by-turn directions.
• Destinations App (2010)  building on Ford’s cloud-based network of services, the first smartphone app for SYNC was launched adding a new level of convenience for customers so they could search for and input destinations, even check traffic, while away from their car.
• AppLink (2010)  the groundbreaking feature that helped Ford be first to voice-activate and control smartphone apps, such as Pandora and Stitcher.

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Now during WWDC week, Ford has released a MyFord Mobile iPhone app. With the first retail customers taking delivery of America’s most energy-efficient compact car, the 2012 Ford Focus Electric, the app helps owners locate charging stations and recharge their cars in half the time of the Nissan Leaf.

MyFord Mobile allows Focus Electric owners link up with their cars via an embedded AT&T wireless module that provides for remote communication. Drivers can log in at any time to check the current state of charge of the advanced lithium-ion battery pack and enable the exclusive value charging mode.

Making Green Social

Focus Electric drivers also will be able to share, learn and teach smart driving by participating in forums on the MyFord Mobile website. The site has features like leader boards, achievements and social networking so owners can have friendly competition on how green they are driving. You can even share those achievements and stats with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

“The MyFord Mobile app and the Focus Electric work together to coach drivers to be more efficient and maximize the benefits of the electric vehicle experience,” said Joe Rork, MyFord Mobile product manager. “We wanted to help drivers get more miles out of every charge and have some fun along the way.”

MyFord Mobile can also help drivers learn to be more energy efficient by automatically uploading and processing vehicle data from each trip. After arriving at a destination, drivers can check the trip and charge log to see how far they drove, how much energy was consumed and how much braking energy was recaptured. They can also get overall driving scores.

Trip Planning – Best Routes with Charging Stations

The MapQuest-powered trip planner built into both the app and Web portal enables users to find available public charging stations and plan efficient multi-destination routes. Users can select their next destination and send it directly to the car from either the app or the portal voice guidance.

When you are at the mall or at work, the new app lets you monitor the current battery charge level and how long the car will need to be plugged in for to get a full charge or reach a desired range. This industry-first value charging technology co-developed with Microsoft can help customers charge the car at the lowest possible cost.

Owners can also use MyFord Mobile to program their driving schedule with GO Times and set a desired cabin temperature. Do you want a warm car on that cold morning? Using GO Times will heat it up without using battery power. Are you leaving in the middle of the night? GO Times will ensure you use as much of that value charge as possible and still ensure you have a full battery.

The embedded wireless connection enables the car to send a text message alert to the owner if someone unplugs the Focus before the battery is fully charged or the owner forgets to plug in at night.

At Home

When the Focus Electric is plugged in at home, value charging harnesses the power of Microsoft’s cloud computing platform to check local utility rates and then automatically starts charging after the prices drop. With value charging, Focus Electric users get reduced operating costs and use power when there is less strain on the electrical grid. An added benefit is owners don’t have to go searching for energy pricing data.

Get A My Ford Mobile Account

Focus Electric drivers can register an account now at www.myfordmobile.com and download the free iPhone app from the iTunes App Store. Drivers who are curious about making the jump to gasoline-free driving can check out the site and the app as a guest. MyFord Mobile will also work with the upcoming C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrids.

The post MyFord Mobile Now Available for iPhone – Go Green with Faster Charging, Route Planning appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The hardware will allow passengers to control the navigation system even when the vehicle is in motion. Keeping said passengers occupied are trivia questions and hand-drawn map notes, along with tourist information. Mii characters will read out text information. Users can save trip information to the DS as well.

The navigation system is priced at the equivalent of $2,586, while the cartridge is priced at $92, and the DS needs to be purchased separately. All launch on June 1.

The post Nintendo DS Works with Toyota In-Car Navigation for Control appeared first on Takes On Tech.

“We’re building cars, they build computers,” di Montezemolo said. “But Apple and Ferrari are connected by the same passion, the same love for the product, maniacal attention to technology, but also to design.”

The conversation most likely didn’t involve joint product development. Ferrari has most often connected itself to Acer’s devices, and often has an insistence that its signature prancing horse logo and color schemes feature on products. Likewise, Apple has no real connection to cars outside of encouraging iPhone and iPod integration.

Such conversations are still unusual for both Apple and Google, and could be the start of deeper connections. Ferrari’s chief was officially at Stanford asking students to pursue their dreams, including using technology, but not to be “dependent on machines.”

The post Ferrari’s di Montezemolo talks to Apple’s CEO Cook and Google Executives appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The 20-member supervisory board of Europe’s largest car maker approved the purchase on Wednesday, Audi said in a statement. It did not disclose details of the deal, though sources told Reuters on April 17 that Audi agreed to buy Ducati for about 860 million euros ($1.13 billion).

Ducati, which has won 13 rider’s Superbike World Championships since 1988, will extend Audi’s long-standing rivalry with Bayerische Motoren Werke to superbikes.

Audi outsold Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz last year and has vowed to surpass BMW for the top spot in luxury car sales this decade.

The company said it aimed to complete the purchase of Ducati as quickly as possible once it has received approval by the relevant regulators.

BEsides taking on BMW when comes to bikes, why would they do this. Do they want to put Ducati Desmodromic Valves in auto?

The post Audi Buys Ducati for $1.12 Billion appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Chrysler is set to add wireless charging solutions to some of their 2013 line-up starting with the Dodge Dart.

Similar to the Powermat, the phone will be required to have a special backplate or battery door and will need to be placed on the special charging plate that will be placed in the middle console on the Dodge Dart. The difference being it doesn’t have to be aligned perfectly to work.

“At Mopar, we look for every single opportunity to make our customers’ lives easier,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “Our industry-first in-vehicle wireless charging system is the perfect solution for those connected customers who are always on the go.”

For easy access, a seamlessly integrated power bin, measuring 8.27 inches by 9.5 inches by 3.25 inches, is installed just below the center stack and in front of the center console. The bin has a built-in charging grid that is activated when customers place in their battery-powered device. The unit begins to charge when the vehicle is started. A phone case, specifically designed for a variety of smartphones, is required and included with the feature.

The wireless charging option will run additional $199 or more and that doesn’t include installation.   It will be available starting with the all new Dodge Dart in the second quarter of this year.

The post 2013 Dodge Dart To Sport Industry-First In-Vehicle Wireless Charging appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Nine Ford engineers got the ride along with the NASCAR race-car driver Carl Edwards . They knew nothing about what was really in store for them until, one-by-one, they were led out to the car with Carl sitting behind the wheel.

The shock of being on a video shoot with Carl was soon replaced with exhilaration as the engineers experienced the Taurus that they had all contributed to being pushed to limit by one of the world’s most capable drivers at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA.

The Ad below will play during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final.

The post New Ford Taurus SHO TV AD Features NASCAR’s Carl Edwards – Airing During the NCAA Championship Game appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Working with Garmin lowers the practical price of GPS in the car: instead of needing a high-end custom system with map updates coming from the car manufacturer, users can just update the maps from an SD card like they would a stand-alone GPS device. Built-in storage also exists along support for a backup camera when present.

Navigation itself supports the usual lane assists and extras like speed warnings, although traffic is optional, not included as it often is with dedicated GPS units.

Neither Garmin nor Suzuki has said how much the in-car system will cost when it ships, but it’s likely to carry a small premium relative to the price of the car. Garmin isn’t the first dedicated GPS designer and is following TomTom, which has efforts such as Blue and Me in the Fiat 500, into reducing its dependence on the waning dedicated-but-removable GPS market as smartphones take over.

The post Garmin Makes In-Car Info System for 2013 Suzuki Models appeared first on Takes On Tech.

The option is potentially much less expensive than factory-installed GPS, GM said. Ford gives free basic directions on cars equipped with entry-level Sync, such as the Fiesta, but limits it to voice-only guidance.

GogoLink Navigation Includes

• Emergency information such as police, fire and the nearest hospital
• Thousands of points of interest
• Local Search via Google
• Where am I? locator
• Live traffic functionality provides crash reports and lane closures, and with alternative routes
• 3-D maps
• Ability to store native maps to the customer’s smartphone, giving them access to locations and turn-by-turn directions even when phone signal quality is poor. Many GPS-enabled apps do not do this.

GogoLink will be part of a larger integration with Chevy’s MyLink, which supports music and calls over Bluetooth as well as music, photos, and videos over USB. Again with some similarity to Ford Sync, certain car-aware apps like Pandora and Stitcher will integrate directly with the car interface. GM hasn’t said which platforms it will support, although Android and iOS are the most probable examples.

The new addition will be available on both the Sonic and Spark after the latter goes on sale, in the fall. Early Spark models will need a dealer firmware update to get the new features, GM said. MyLink is also necessary, although it’s standard on the Sonic’s LTZ and RS trim levels as well as the Spark in 1LT and 2LT forms.

The post Chevy GogoLink Will Smartphones to Take On Sync’s Navigation appeared first on Takes On Tech.

We first saw this car back in November outside the Microsoft Store in Bellevue Washington.  (We have More Pictures there.)

To create Project Detroit, a 2012 Ford Mustang with a 1967 fastback body, Microsoft teamed up with Ryan Friedlinghaus, an award-winning automotive designer based in Corona, Calif. and star of the Discovery Channel’s Velocity network reality TV series Inside West Coast Customs. This Sunday, March 25th at 6:00pm Pacific (9:00pm Eastern), the show will feature Project Detroit, so tune in and set your DVRs.

With open-source code from Project Detroit, developers can do more than just imagine the possibilities — they can start building them.

The post Project Detroit is Now Official! – Retrofitted Ford Mustang from Microsoft and West Coast Customs appeared first on Takes On Tech.

Well the folks at Ford and with the aid of some the audio gurus at Sony have taken core idea of testing to the road to make sure you have great sound stage inside the all-new  2013 Ford Escape..  And yes, they took Suzanne Vega’s a cappella hit “Tom’s Diner” along for the ride.

Ford audio engineers used many recordings across genres such as rap, blues, rock, jazz, county, and even classical to evaluate tonal balance and sound quality in all audio regions to verify a natural sound stage in the new 2013 Escape. The lip smack in Suzanne Vega’s a cappella hit “Tom’s Diner” is used to check the center staging of the sound system, while Rihanna’s “S.O.S.” helps evaluate clean bass mixed with vocals and ensure there is nothing shrill in the tweeters. PJ Harvey’s “Electric Light” was used to make sure the instruments don’t modulate the vocals and the bass doesn’t shake the doors.

“We tuned the audio system so that it sounds natural – as if you’re listening to music inside a theater rather than in your vehicle,” said Christine Templin, one of the audio engineers who tuned the Escape’s sound system.

Ford’s Best of Escape Playlist

1. ZZ Top “La Grange” – Listen for the clean snare drum clicks, left and right rhythm guitars and strong bass guitar
2. Yello “The Race” – Listen for a sensation of the car racing from right to left, and left to right. “It should sound spacious with transients of doors slamming,” Templin says
3. Lou Reed “Walk on the Wild Side” – Listen for backup singers to move from far to near, testing image depth. Check for tonal balance and loud dynamics
4. Kenny Chesney “Summertime” – Listen for clean vocals, instruments should be clearly defined
5. Eminem “Remember Me” – Listen for loud dynamics, bass extension
6. Rihanna “S.O.S.” – Listen for tonal balance, clean bass, nothing shrill in the tweeters
7. Beyonce featuring Jay Z “Déjà Vu” – Listen for bass to be clean and even. Vocals should not break up or sound overly bright
8. Peter, Paul and Mary “I Have a Song To Sing O” – This is an old recording with vocals panned left-center-right in order to test staging and imaging. Voices should retain a natural timbre
9. Johnny Cash “Bird on a Wire” – This intimate recording (as if Cash were in his living room) tests tonal balance and spatial qualities. Vocals show a close-mike effect
10. Bruno Giuranna Mozart Piano Quartets 1 & 2, “Allegretto” – Listen for a natural piano tone. Strings should be forward

Using Both Science and the Ear to Ensure the Feeling of the Music Comes for the Ride

The audio engineers’ work is twofold: the objective portion, monitoring sound wave files on laptop computers hooked up to speakers within the vehicle; and the subjective portion, relying on human ears to fine-tune the quality of the system.

Templin explained how Jennifer Warnes’ recording of Leonard Cohen’s “Famous Blue Raincoat” should give the listener a specific feeling.

“You should feel like you have been transported to a gloomy environment,” she said.

Audio Options in the 2013 Ford Escape

The Escape, which will be available this spring, has three available audio systems: the standard six-speaker system, a nine-speaker system and a Sony branded 10-speaker system.

The post Ford Driving Sound Testing to An All New Level with the 2013 Ford Escape appeared first on Takes On Tech.