1930 Ford Model A Roadster Rat Rod / Hot Rod on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ford partnering with MIT, Stanford on autonomous vehicle research

Ask any car engineer what's the biggest variable in achieving fuel economy targets, and he'll tell you "the driver." If one human can't understand human driving behavior enough to be certain about an innocuous number like miles per gallon, how is an autonomous car supposed to figure out what hundreds of other drivers are going to do in the course of a day? Ford has enlisted the help of Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to find out.
Starting with the automated Fusion Hybrid introduced in December, MIT will be developing algorithms that driverless cars can use to "predict actions of other vehicles and pedestrians" and objects within the three-dimensional map provided by its four LIDAR sensors.
The Stanford team will research how to extend the 'vision' of that LIDAR array beyond obstructions while driving, analogous to the way a driver uses the entire width of a lane to see what's ahead of a larger vehicle in front. Ford says it wants to "provide the vehicle with common sense" as part of its Blueprint for Mobility, preparing for an autonomous world from 2025 and beyond.

Ford owns Automotive Loyalty Awards, Audi and Subaru are king of conquests

Customers are a commodity in the automotive industry, and like any other commodity, automakers trade them back and forth. Only nobody wants to give up their customers - just to keep the ones they have and try to attract others.
That's what the Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards are all about. Every year the industry research body names the automakers, brands and models that manage to keep their customers coming back for more - and attract buyers to switch from other makes. Ford usually does pretty well, but this year it rose above even its own track record.
Not only did Dearborn win the Overall Loyalty to Manufacturer award, but also the Overall Loyalty to Make. Ford also took the African American category, and the F-150 was named the top full-size half-ton pickup in customer loyalty. Ford COO Mark Fields (pictured above) accepted the awards and gave the keynote address at the awards ceremony.

The 2015 Ford Mustang is not so mellow in yellow

When we first saw the 2015 Ford Mustang, much was made of its new, more expressive color palette, which includes the return of both yellow and orange in addition to a new grayish shade, Guard. At that time, we didn't have anything to look at but a few small scale models painted in the new colors - the only Mustangs on display were in Race Red.
For its auto show debut here at in the Motor City, Ford has trotted out a couple of as-yet-unseen shades, including the striking Triple Yellow shown above. The new shade marks a return to a paint color that enthusiasts have been clamoring for, and we must say, it looks excellent under the lights of Cobo Hall.
Stat wise, there are still a number of questions we have about the redesigned Mustang. None of the three engines have had official power figures published. The same goes for pricing information, although if any loose-lipped execs let something slip in Detroit, we'll be sure to let you know. Until then, have a look at the new Triple Yellow Mustang on display at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.