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Ford spider screen keeps creepy-crawlies out of cars

Ford is waging a global war on spiders with the 2016 Focus RS. The little beasties can be a real menace to a vehicle by blocking lines with their dense webs, but engineers at the Blue Oval now have a new screen that they claim keeps the bugs at bay. Yellow sac spiders especially like to craft their webs in fuel vapor lines, but blocking the way can cause pressure to build, leading to a safety issue. Implemented in 2004, Ford already has a screen to keep the creepy-crawlies out. But the company now has an updated version in North America, and the Focus RS is the first global vehicle with it. "We are constantly improving and adapting, even when it comes to technologies that are already working," said William Euliss, Ford fuel systems engineer, in the screen's announcement. It might seem like a waste to put engineers on the task of making a spider screen, but the device could save Ford money in the long run. Arachnids have been responsible for the recalls of hundreds thousands of vehicles in the US over the years. Mazda issued two campaigns on the Mazda6 due to the webs causing pressure to build up in the fuel tank and potentially leading to a split. There was also a similar recall from Suzuki, and another one covering the air conditioning system on Toyotas. LOOK OUT! HERE COME THE SPIDERMEN: FORD ENGINEERS USE ARACHNID LEARNINGS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE SCREEN TO KEEP CREEPY CRAWLERS OUT AUG 5, 2015 | DEARBORN, MICH. Ford engineers developed an innovative spider screen to keep the creepy crawlers from nesting inside vehicles Screen prevents spiders from building cocoon-like webs dense enough to potentially block fuel vapor lines, which can damage engines and diminish vehicle performance Now, an updated version of the spider screen is being implemented in Ford vehicles in North America; it will go global with launch of the all-new 2016 Ford Focus RS DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 5, 2015 – Arachnophobes may not know this, but there is a team of Ford engineers who developed an innovative spider screen to keep the creepy crawlers from nesting in Ford vehicles. You're welcome. Cheiracanthium mildei and Cheiracanthium inclusum – more commonly referred to as yellow sac spiders – have been known to nest inside vehicles in North America, causing problems for car owners and automakers alike over the years. Instead of using webs to catch prey, these spiders build cocoon-like webs for shelter and to lay eggs.

Porsche, Jaguar continue dominance in 2015 JD Power APEAL study

The top of JD Power's 2015 APEAL Study has not changed much in the last year. Porsche remains No. 1 with Jaguar nipping at its heels, although both premium brands saw their overall score fall compared to 2014. For those that need a refresher, the APEAL Study looks at how "gratifying" a vehicle is to own and drive, rating cars and brands on a 1,000-point scale. The industry average for 2015 has increased from 794 to 798, while the total number of automakers that finished above the curve increased from 16 to 20. While Porsche and Jaguar finished at the top, their scores dropped eight and seven points, respectively, to 874 and 855. The top "non-premium" brand was Mini, which scored an impressive 825, up from 795. If the BMW-owned British marque is still a bit too premium for your tastes, last year's non-premium winner, Hyundai, did climb five points and is this year's runner up. At the opposite end of the scale, Smart sits at the very bottom of the rankings, with a score of 683 (it didn't appear on the 2014 rankings). Fiat also dropped, from fourth worst in 2014 to second worst in 2015, despite the 500 being named most appealing city car. Subaru made an impressive climb, from third worst to seventh, falling just 10 points shy of the industry average and two points south of the non-premium average. In the individual vehicle segments, eight brands earned multiple awards, with Ford, Chevrolet, and Porsche earning three apiece. Surprise segment victories included the new Ford Expedition, which beat out Chevy's popular Suburban. The Infiniti QX80 bested the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Range Rover for best large luxury SUV, and the Dodge Challenger beat its muscle car rivals from Ford and Chevy. Most of the victories, though, were quite predictable. The Mazda6 and CX-5 took wins for the midsize sedan and compact SUV categories respectively, while the Volkswagen Golf captured the compact car win. The Ford F-150 won the large pickup category, while the Porsche Cayman was named most appealing compact premium sporty car. Check out the official release on the 2015 APEAL Study, available below, from JD Power. 2015 U.S. APEAL Study Results The latest safety-related technologies are among the drivers of customer satisfaction with new vehicles, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S.

Android Auto to add vehicle-integrated EV route planner for Google Maps

Google just dropped all of its CES news, and there are a whole lot of new features for Android Auto and vehicles with Google Built-In infotainment systems to parse through. Starting with Android Auto, electric vehicles will have much deeper integration with Google Maps when you’re navigating. Google Maps will know your current state of charge, predict a state of charge level for your destination, suggest charging stops along the way for the most efficient route and even tell you how long each charge stop will take depending on your vehicle. ThatÂ’s a level of integration we havenÂ’t seen before from using Android Auto in an EV and should make route planning a much more streamlined process. Of course, the caveat here is that Google will need to work with the manufacturers to have access to the kind of vehicle data required to make such a holistic EV navigation system work without hiccups. Google says that the feature will be rolling out to both the Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning “in the coming months, with others to follow.” WeÂ’ll be impatiently waiting to try it out. As for Google Built-In news, Google says that as of today, youÂ’ll be able to send a trip that youÂ’ve planned on your phone to your car via the Google Maps app. Despite Google Maps being the native navigation system for many cars these days, itÂ’s still easier to plan a multi-destination route on your phone than tapping through the motions on the carÂ’s screen, but should no longer be an issue with this update. Additional apps are coming online in the Google Play Store that you can download to your car, too. Volvo and Polestar cars will be able to download the Google Chrome browser later this year so you can browse the web directly from your infotainment system. Both PBS Kids and Crunchyroll are being added for your streaming convenience (while charging or parked), and The Weather Channel app is available, too. ThatÂ’s all Google revealed today, but it also hinted that Digital car key support will be expanding support to more vehicles and more Android phones in the future. Plus, it says even more OEMs will continue to launch infotainment systems with Google Built-In. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green CES Ford Volvo Technology Infotainment Smartphone Truck Crossover Electric Luxury Performance Polestar