Tag: Ford

Ford plans construction on Michigan Central Depot by year's end

Ford plans construction on Michigan Central Depot by year's endFord Motor Co. expects to start construction on its Michigan Central Station renovation before the end of 2018, the automaker said Thursday.
The automaker will work with design firm Quinn Evans Architects and architects at Christman-Brinker on the project expected to be completed some time in 2022.
Ford in June confirmed it purchased and had plans to restore the blighted train station. It bought the building for $90 million, and after the restoration is complete, the automaker plans to move its electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle teams to the facility.
Around 2,500 Ford employees will work out of the building. Another 2,500 entrepreneurs, technology companies and partners related to Ford's expansion into Autos 2.0. will also be housed there. The station will be the “centerpiece” of Ford's planned 1.2-million-square-foot Corktown campus.
Both firms Ford hired have offices in Detroit in addition to other cities around the country. Quinn Evans has a history of work on historic preservation and landmark preservation projects, including the Michigan State Capitol restoration. Christman-Brinker is a newly-formed joint venture between two Detroit companies. Together, the companies have worked on the new Little Caesars World Headquarters, the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University and multiple schools around Detroit.
“Quinn Evans Architects and Christman Brinker have a strong track record of working together on restoring historic buildings, so we felt they were the right partners to help us begin this transformation project,” Todd Brooks, program manager at Ford Land, the company’s real estate arm overseeing Ford’s Corktown campus, said in a statement. “They share Ford’s passion for redeveloping Detroit’s landmark train station, ensuring the local community benefits from our presence and building the future of the transportation industry right here in Detroit.”
The automaker has spent most of the last several months sealing the blighted building from the elements.
Ford estimates construction and restoration efforts will cost $740 million and will require 2.5 million man-hours, 51 percent of which must be done by Detroit residents. The automaker has committed $5 million for workforce training, education and development to help address a shortage of skilled trade workers in Detroit.
ithibodeau@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Ian_Thibodeau
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Nuance spins off automotive segment into new publicly traded company

November has been a month of consolidation for voice recognition software maker Nuance. After selling its document imaging business for $400 million last week, Nuance just announced that it plans to spin off its automotive division into a separate, publicly traded company called Nuance Auto. Nuance said the move will help the company become more… Continue reading Nuance spins off automotive segment into new publicly traded company

Ford hits the road in Miami, in a big bet on autonomous vehicles, ride sharing and delivery services

Ford's autonomous vehicle fleet
10:04 AM ET Fri, 16 Nov 2018 | 02:45

Ford is road testing its autonomous vehicles in partnership with the city of Miami, as the legacy automaker hopes to capitalize on the emerging technology in ride-share and business delivery.

The automaker has been testing a Ford Fusion equipped with autonomous vehicle tech, or AV, in Miami since February. It chose the city because of its congestion and the unpredictability of the traffic there. Tests are also being done in three other cities: Pittsburgh, Detroit and Washington, D.C.

Ford has said it plans to begin selling self-driving cars by 2021, but it is also testing out ways it can use these vehicles to carry people and things. Sherif Marakby, CEO of Ford Autonomous Vehicles, told CNBC the company is focused on profitability and scalability.

“We're laser focused on profitability,” said Marakby, who said autonomous vehicles provide transportation at a lower cost than current vehicles. “While the vehicle is expensive, initially we're deploying it in service so the cost per mile for transportation for a person or a business is going to be lower and will be profitable for us,” he said.

Ford has said it plans to invest a total of $4 billion into AV technology through 2023.

On Wednesday, the company announced a partnership with Walmart and Postmates to collaborate on a delivery service that will one day use autonomous vehicles.

During a test ride with CNBC, Ford used a car that was autonomous, however, it did travel along a predetermined and pre-programmed route. Ford also manned the vehicle with a safety driver, whose hands hovered over the wheel, which the company said was a “precaution.”

Source: Ford
Ford AV Argo autonomous vehicle test car

Waymo, the self-driving car unit of Alphabet, will launch its first AV service by the end of the year and expects to attract business customers. General Motors' Cruise says it will have an autonomous ride-share service by next year.

Some analysts have said Ford is lagging behind in self-driving technology, but Marakby pushed back on that notion.

“I want investors and I want everyone to know that we are developing an autonomous vehicle service that means a whole lot more than the car,” Marakby said. “What that means is … when we launch these cars it's not just going to be the car. It's going to be an app. It's going to be the cloud … The autonomous car will know where to go when someone orders it.”

Ford is phasing out its manufacturing of most cars and increasing production of trucks and SUVs. Marakby said Ford's ride-share vehicle will be designed for that business.

“We feel that what we're building is an autonomous vehicle mobility service and we think the future is going to continue to have more and more of these transportation methods,” he said.

WATCH: Ford is using bionic suits to help employees work safer

Ford is using bionic suits to help employees work safer
6:24 PM ET Fri, 20 April 2018 | 02:20

Rivian teases electric pickup and SUV planned for LA auto show

Rivian R1T electric pickup concept teaser A new startup automaker, Rivian, plans to beat Tesla to the punch with an electric pickup truck. After years of stealth, the company is finally poised to reveal its new pickup and SUV at the LA auto show later this month. This week, the company set up a media… Continue reading Rivian teases electric pickup and SUV planned for LA auto show

Volkswagen is investing in the future

The Volkswagen Group is investing heavily in its future. Over the coming five years to the end of 2023, the Company will be spending almost €44 billion alone on the future issues of e-mobility, autonomous driving, new mobility services and digitalization in its vehicles and at its plants. This represents approximately one-third of total expenditure… Continue reading Volkswagen is investing in the future

Self-Driving Cars Will Give Back Something You Can’t Buy — Your Time

Self-Driving Cars Will Give Back Something You Can’t Buy — Your Time By Amy Marentic, Global Marketing Director, Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC Every time I see our self-driving cars successfully navigate urban streets, I’m easily carried away thinking about how much they will improve everyday life. It’s this element that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough: The ability to… Continue reading Self-Driving Cars Will Give Back Something You Can’t Buy — Your Time

Ford Motor Company Issues Four Safety Recalls in North America

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 16, 2018 – Ford is issuing four safety recalls in North America. Details are: Select 2018 Ford Explorer vehicles with 2.3-liter or 3.5-liter GTDI engines for a misassembled fuel pressure sensor Ford is issuing a recall for approximately 160 select 2018 Ford Explorer vehicles with 2.3-liter or 3.5-liter GTDI engines for a… Continue reading Ford Motor Company Issues Four Safety Recalls in North America

Ineos to decide on location to manufacture new off-road vehicles by year-end

Nov 16 (Reuters) – Petrochemicals company Ineos said here on Friday it would decide on the manufacturing location for its new off-road vehicle, currently in design and development, by the year end and flagged a number of “very strong options” in the U.K. and Europe. Media outlets had reported here that Ineos is in talks… Continue reading Ineos to decide on location to manufacture new off-road vehicles by year-end