Ford – Page 1481 – I wish I had more to offer

Land Rover Defender expands model range with new commercial model

Land Rover will revive the Hard Top name for the forthcoming commercial version of the new Defender, with the firm promising the new machine will offer “a unique combination of cargo space, practicality and comfort”. The Hard Top moniker was first used by the British brand in 1950, when a removable roof was introduced for the Series… Continue reading Land Rover Defender expands model range with new commercial model

EV maker Byton halts operations for six months amid financial woes

Sponsored Links Steve Dent/Engadget Another luxury electric car maker is taking drastic action in light of financial trouble. Chinese firm Byton has told The Detroit Bureau and The Verge that it’s stopping operations for “at least” six months due to financial struggles exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most China-based workers will be furloughed, with just… Continue reading EV maker Byton halts operations for six months amid financial woes

Ford Mustang Mach-E To Gets Performance Boost Prior To Launch

Jun 30, 2020 | DEARBORN, Mich. DEARBORN, Mich., June 30, 2020 – The all-electric Mustang Mach-E isn’t a Mustang in name only – and we’ll let the horses do the talking. Order banks are now open in the U.S., and reservation holders are now being invited to convert their reservations to official orders for the… Continue reading Ford Mustang Mach-E To Gets Performance Boost Prior To Launch

@Ford: All-Electric Ford Mustang Mach-E Gets Upgraded Horsepower and Torque as U.S. Order Banks Open

Order banks are now open in the U.S., and reservation holders are now being invited to convert their reservations to official orders for the latest addition to the Mustang stable. Go to Source

India plans incentives for auto companies to boost exports

Indian government is planning incentives for big automakers, components firms to boost local manufacturing and export to overseas countries. NEW DELHI,: India is drawing up an incentive scheme for the autos sector aimed at doubling exports of vehicles and components in the next five years, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.… Continue reading India plans incentives for auto companies to boost exports

@Ford: With All-New Mustang Mach 1, Ford Graphics Team Faced Same Challenge as Engineers, Designers – How to Modernize a Classic

Dave Mahoney, Ford design manager, and his team of graphic designers were obsessing about how to modernize the classic logo. Go to Source

@Ford: ‘Ford Promise’ Offers Peace of Mind to Potential Car Buyers and Lessees with One Year to Return Vehicle in Event of Job Loss

Ford is providing peace of mind to potential customers nervous about buying or leasing a new or used vehicles in an unsettled economy. Go to Source

Inside the industry: car makers and retailers have a love-hate relationship

There’s a saying that business without tension isn’t really business, the implication being that if you’re not fighting someone, capitalism is about to gobble you up for being too nice. Just as well, then, that, even by the standards of the most dysfunctional families, the relationship between car makers and car retailers remains fraught –… Continue reading Inside the industry: car makers and retailers have a love-hate relationship

Ford Launching Its Own Driver-Assist System To Compete With Tesla Autopilot (Sort Of)

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Published on June 18th, 2020 |

by Johnna Crider

Ford Launching Its Own Driver-Assist System To Compete With Tesla Autopilot (Sort Of)

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June 18th, 2020 by Johnna Crider

CNBC just reported that Ford is trying to compete with Tesla and GM by launching its own driver-assist system to compete with Tesla’s Autopilot and GM’s Super Cruise. Sort of. It’s called “Active Drive Assist” and will be able to control three major aspects of its vehicles:

Speed.
Braking.
Steering.

Ford will do this through a system of cameras, radar, and sensors on 100,000 miles of pre-mapped divided highways in the US and Canada.

Active Drive Assist will be part of Ford’s “Co-Pilot 360” program. The hardware for the hands-free driving system should be available for purchase first on the Ford Mustang Mach-E this year. After that, Ford will have a list of other vehicles for its 2021 model year that will use the tech. Unfortunately for customers, they will have to wait until next year for Active Drive Assist to be available on the Mustang Mach-E.

CNBC noted that even though a Ford spokesman didn’t comment on which other vehicles the tech will be offered on, a great candidate is the F-150. The article also noted that Active Drive Assist will function more like GM’s Super Cruise than Tesla’s Autopilot. One main reason is that GM and Ford both will only operate on pre-mapped roads, whereas with Tesla, Autopilot has an AI system that can intelligently drive the vehicle and react like a human would in real-time.

Ford plans to stand out from GM’s Super Cruise with the way its system handles and interacts with drivers. One way is through a digital driver information screen instead of just a light bar on the steering wheel. During a media briefing, Darren Palmer, Ford’s global director of battery electric vehicles, said, “A huge amount of work was done in this respect. We noticed from reviewing systems on sale that it can be a little bit confusing to customers.”

I personally think it is a great thing that Ford is coming up with its own version of assisted driving. However, it’s not in full competition with Tesla’s Autopilot. One has to understand the difference between Autopilot and the other types of driver-assist technology.

Even though Autopilot is a type of technology that assists drivers on the road, it’s the first step for Tesla in its goal to complete “Full Self-Driving” vehicles. Autopilot, unlike Super Cruise, isn’t limited to a pre-mapped highway system. It’s also more advanced than typical driver-assist tech and is routinely improved via over-the-air software updates, and comparing it with Super Cruise or Ford’s new Active Drive Assist is similar to comparing bananas to plantains. Both are in the same species, but they are two different treats.

I think what I would like to see more from legacy automakers is the passion behind creating EVs. Ford has one EV coming, but for us to fully go in the direction of electrification, legacy automakers need to focus on electrifying their whole lineups, instead of pushing out a few new fossil fuel vehicle models each year. Like, make the 2021 Ford F-150 an EV only — and do this with every make and model vehicle from here on out. Without doing that, it’s hard to see their supposed commitment to society and it’s hard to see them not fall further and further behind in the new automotive era.

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About the Author

Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem, and mineral collector, member of the International Gem Society, and a Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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Didi installs V2X equipment in Shanghai, begins test robotaxi service

BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing, backed by SoftBank Group, launched a test robotaxi service in a Shanghai suburb on Saturday after installing V2X (Vehicle to Everything) hardware throughout the area. FILE PHOTO: The company logo of the Didi ride-hailing app on a car door at the IEEV New Energy Vehicles Exhibition in… Continue reading Didi installs V2X equipment in Shanghai, begins test robotaxi service