The researchers have found potential for a GPS satellite to act as an early warning system that detects when a vehicle is about to lose control and communicate with the vehicle’s stability control systems and other safety features to prevent a rollover or other serious accident.

The research findings will be presented this week at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics in San Antonio, Texas.

“A satellite orbiting the earth could someday prevent an auto accident,” said Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, Ford’s Chief Technical Officer and vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering. “We applaud the Auburn team for these advancements and look forward to working together on the next phase of this research, including developing prototype vehicles.”

The project is part of Ford’s $4 million investment in university research programs in 2009, including 16 safety projects.

Auburn University’s GPS and Vehicle Dynamics Laboratory, directed by Dr. David Bevly, received a three-year, $120,000 grant from Ford in 2008 as part of company’s university research program. The research team is investigating the use of combining GPS and inertial measurement units data to provide precise information on a vehicle’s motion. The data could be used to improve performance of a vehicle’s electronic stability control system, a computerized technology that improves the safety of a vehicle’s stability by detecting and minimizing skids.

“Stability control is one of the most important safety technologies of this decade,” said Jeff Rupp, manager, Ford Active Safety Systems Engineering. “Ford is committed to safety leadership, and research partnerships like our work with Auburn help us achieve success.”

The project’s breakthroughs include developing algorithms combining data from sensors in Ford vehicles with data from GPS receivers. This coordination of data has led to predictive models that can calculate a vehicle’s roll angle, sideslip and velocities under various driving conditions.

Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally

By BRYAN LAVIOLETTE

DEARBORN – For the second year in a row, Alan Mulally, president and CEO of Ford, will deliver a major speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, which sponsors CES, told a group of reporters at a luncheon Monday that while some may view the automaker as a “Rust Belt” company, he sees the opposite.

“Alan Mulally has positioned Ford as a leading innovator in the automotive industry,” Shapiro said.

Ford’s Sync voice-recognition system has become one of the must-have features for many car buyers. Sync allows users to control their cellphones and mp3 players with their voice and on some of Ford’s vehicles, the system allows users to do everything from change the cabin temperature to check the weather without taking their hands off the wheel.

The company also is using the Sync platform, which it developed with the help of Microsoft to launch other technology products such as Ford Work Solutions, which is the latest development of the mobile vehicle office.

CES, scheduled for Jan. 7-10, is the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, where about 20,000 new products are debuted by 2,500 exhibitors each year.

“Mulally will reveal Ford’s latest innovations and announce new technology developments related to Ford’s popular, voice-activated SYNC technology,” the automaker said in a release.

So, it was with interest that I found the blog by Jaime Case and Chris Hodges. Instead of having a traditional wedding reception to celebrate their marriage, they decided to use the money to travel the country visiting friends instead. And they got Ford to loan them a Ford Fusion — nicknamed Roxy — to do it.

The couple is more than halfway through their odyssey, but it’s still fun. Just one question. Has Jaime worn that dress for the whole trip?

http://weddingroadtrip.com/

Look, no hands!

If you fear parallel parking, you are in good company. Technology available in the 2010 Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT can remove that anxiety by managing this challenging chore for you. Not only does Active Park Assist perform the difficult parallel parking maneuver, it also will help you find a parking space large enough for the vehicle to fit in.

Active Park Assist — How It Works

The push of a single button activates Active Park Assist, and the system begins scanning for an appropriate parking spot. When a suitable space is detected, an audible signal will sound, and the cluster-mounted message center will display a “space found” notification.

Active Park Assist will coach the driver with a prompt when to stop, shift to reverse and let the system take over. The system will not select an inappropriately sized space.

Park Assist will calculate the appropriate trajectory, regardless of the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle parked in the space just ahead. All steering is performed by the system, so the driver only needs to brake. Active Park Assist also properly positions the vehicle relative to the curb.

If the vehicle is not positioned properly in the space, the system will continue to coach the driver for proper placement. The driver will shift and brake normally, but the system steers the vehicle throughout the maneuver.

Active Park Assist is enabled by Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) which is standard on 2010 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoostTM V-6.

Active Park Assist is optional on the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 equipped Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT, on sale late this summer.

Watch this video at this link for a demonstration:
http://www.thefordstory.com/smart-technology/let-your-car-parallel-park-itself-with-active-park-assist/

http://www.fiestamovement.com/agents/64