Ford Focus Electric Costars with Celebrities in ‘Plugged In,’ Yahoo!’s First Reality Competition Series Launching May 29

The program will debut May 29, reaching millions of viewers through Yahoo!’s video destination — Yahoo! Screen — to promote the new Focus Electric, America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger car.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. & DEARBORN, Mich., May 22, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — –Featuring celebrity hosts — David Arquette, Adrian Grenier, Jenna Bush Hager, Emily Procter, Alicia Silverstone, J.R. Martinez and more

–All-new Focus Electric — Ford’s first all-electric, gas-free passenger car — plays a starring role in an exciting reality competition where the audience will ride along through some of America’s most interesting cities

Yahoo!, the premier digital company, and Ford are releasing today a teaser video previewing ‘Plugged In,’ a weekly online reality competition show coinciding with the launch of the all-new 2012 Focus Electric and airing exclusively on Yahoo! Screen, the company’s video destination.

‘Plugged In’ features two-person teams competing against each other in a series of challenges. The series begins May 29 with actor David Arquette guiding contestants through challenges at some of his favorite Los Angeles locales. Subsequent episodes will feature different celebrities taking contestants and viewers on an intimate tour of their respective hometowns, discovering hidden cultural gems and “best of” locations in their city.

The winning teams in each city will move on to participate in the finale event in Los Angeles, where they will compete with teams from other regions for the chance to win a Ford Focus Electric. The series will crown a winning team in a finale episode on Aug. 7.

“Ford is launching the Focus Electric only on Yahoo!, once again recognizing the power and reach of the Web as we continue to rely more on the power of digital media,” says Matt VanDyke, Director, U.S. Marketing Communications for Ford. “The electric vehicle market will grow over time, so we electrified our popular small-car platform rather than creating a one-off vehicle, and now we can use a targeted online campaign instead of a big-budget advertisement.”

Focus Electric plays a prominent role in the competition as the car’s SYNC(R) with MyFord Touch(R) system will be used by each team to receive video, text and audio clues. The car’s navigation capabilities will help teams get from point to point, while hands-free calling will be used when the contest requires teams to make calls.

With 61 million unique visitors per month* who come to Yahoo! to watch video and 21 of the top original online video programs**, Yahoo! sets the bar for best-in-class original video programming.

With its recently launched video destination, Yahoo! Screen, the development of women’s and comedy slates, and collaborations with world-class storytellers, creative partners and original voices, Yahoo! continues to build on its leadership position in video and to provide consumers and advertisers with the best premium content online.

“With at least eight out of 10 Internet users now watching online video, this is the perfect time for Yahoo! and Ford to launch ‘Plugged In,’” says Erin McPherson, Vice President and Head of Video at Yahoo!. “We know from our insights and data that our audience is passionate about celebrity-related content and travel content, and we combined those insights with Ford’s brand goals for a truly engaging program.”

“I am excited to be a part of ‘Plugged In’ on Yahoo! and take viewers to some of my favorite spots in Los Angeles,” said David Arquette.

“I am excited to be an ambassador for one of the best cities in the world, and my hometown, New York City,” said Adrian Grenier. “There are so many amazing things going on here. People are engaged and you can feel the creativity all around you. There is never a false moment. People live fully and well and are starting to really embrace clean healthy living. There is a real sense of belonging and community.”

America’s most fuel-efficient five-seater
Focus Electric is America’s most fuel-efficient five-passenger car that offers the equivalent of 110 miles per gallon (MPGe) city, 99 MPGe highway, and operates entirely on battery-generated power. Focus Electric also has been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to offer 105 MPGe combined.

Ford is ramping up Focus Electric retail production for dealership availability in California, New York and New Jersey. By year-end, Focus Electric becomes available in 19 markets across the United States.

More information about Ford’s electrified vehicle lineup — including press releases, technical specifications and other related material — can be found online here.

Photos of Focus Electric can be found here. The Plugged In Yahoo! Screen page is at http://screen.yahoo.com/pluggedin/ .

*comScore Video Metrix, U.S., March 2012 **Ranking based on custom-created category of original video programs by Yahoo! based on comScore Mediabuilder, U.S., February 2012

Ford Motor Company Kickstarts ‘Operation Goodwill’ In India

Ford is investing USD 250,000 to improve health, safety and education in seven communities surrounding its operation in Chennai. Under the banner of “Operation Goodwill,” the initiative is supported by the Ford Motor Company Fund, in partnership with its international grantmaker, the GlobalGiving Foundation. It is designed to bolster the company’s ongoing engagement in its communities and introduce projects to enable positive change and sustainable development in the villages.

Ford in India, which has supported initiatives to improve the livelihoods of the communities near its operations for a decade, will operate the program with the assistance of GlobalGiving, local NGO partners and a strong volunteer-led support and collaboration from its employees in Ford India Private Limited and Global Business Services.

“As Ford continues to grow and expand in India, we believe it is our obligation to give back, particularly in the communities where we have operations,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India. “Our business philosophy is to empower our workforce and give them the tools and training needed to build top quality vehicles. With Operation Goodwill, our aim is likewise to help empower our local communities, providing the tools and training to improve quality of life.”

“At Ford, we become citizens of the countries and the communities in which we operate. Our community service efforts at Global Business Services are a true reflection of this ‘People Serving People’ attitude. We are deeply committed to going further and making a difference in the communities where we live and work” said Joginder Singh, president and managing director of Ford’s Global Business Services operation.

One of the new projects includes setting up 20 after-school tutoring centers near Ford’s Chennai Manufacturing Facility and in the Uthiramerur Block to coach government school students to improve their learning ability thanks to a new partnership between Ford India and Aid India. “The objective is to ensure that every child achieves basic outcomes in Language, Math, English and Science and gets prepared to face the world with confidence. Local empowerment and a strong outcome focus are the hallmarks of the initiative”, said Balaji Sampath, secretary of Aid India.

The company is also working with The Society for Technology and Advancement for Rural Action (TARA–A social enterprise from the Development Alternatives group) for building school and community toilets as well as providing village water filters and The Society for Poor People Development (SPDD) to enable better skill development among village women through tailoring classes in the seven villages around the Chennai Facilities. Further, Ford India will execute a multi-year infrastructure extension activity at one of the village schools as well as enable better-stocked laboratories at two other Government schools.

Speaking on the program, Jim Vella, president Ford Fund said, “Operation Goodwill represents Ford’s ongoing commitment to support our employees and dealers around the world in their efforts to go further to improve the living conditions of communities where we live and work. I am confident that with this grant in India, we will make a meaningful difference in the lives of rural women and school children in the villages surrounding our manufacturing operations there.”

Ford India has already invested substantial resources and efforts in several Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in and around communities neighbouring its 200,000-capacity plant in Maraimalai Nagar near Chennai. In 2011, as part of the annual Ford Global Week of Caring, over 1000 volunteers from Ford in India came together to carry out several programmes in neighbouring communities in the areas of health, education, safety and environment.

Last year, the company’s employees renovated two Government schools in Chitamanur and Kizhakarnai villages neighboring its plant in Maraimalai Nagar, providing better classrooms, new uniforms, books and bags as well as better constructed toilets and drinking water facilities there.
In partnership with its dealers, Ford India has also trained 4500 drivers since launch of Ford Motor Company’s successful Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) training programme that educates new and older licensed drivers of all ages on safer, economical and eco-friendly driving practices.

Ford has also been named as the largest Voluntary Blood Donor in the Industrial Category in Tamil Nadu for 10 consecutive years (from 2000-2010) and has been the recipient of the Red Cross trophy.

Read More:
http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-192238.html

Size Matters…

Ford’s new global family of EcoBoost engines offer customers more affordable, high-efficiency powertrain choices, along with Ford’s growing lineup of hybrid and electric models. On average, an EcoBoost engine can improve fuel economy by as much as 20 percent, yet it costs around $1,000 on most vehicles.

662 Horse Power!!

The new GT500 is powered by a supercharged 6.8-liter V8 that Ford claims is the most powerful V8 production engine in the world, outgunning both the 638 hp Corvette ZR1 and upcoming SRT Viper with its measly 640 hp V10. It has a top speed of over 200 mph and, according to the TeamShelby.com report, can reach 60 mph in first gear.

Spy Shots: Ford Engineers Spotted Testing Galaxy MPV Mule

 
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/04/spy-shots-ford-engineers-spotted.html

Spy Shots: Ford Engineers Spotted Testing Galaxy MPV Mule

The third-generation of the Ford Galaxy minivan together with its shorter and lower sibling, the S-Max, have been with us (or so to speak) since 2006 having received a mid-life makeover that introduced a new snout and turbocharged four-cylinder petrol mills at the end of 2009.

All the previous iterations of the Galaxy (the seven-seater S-Max is a new addition to the range) were offered in Europe for a period of six years or less before being replaced by a new model, which means that the time for Ford to present a successor is almost here.

This week, our spies in Germany nabbed Ford’s engineers trying out a test mule for the next Galaxy MPV. The seven-seater prototype featured a modified front end that was hidden under plastic wraps along with a modified fuel cap, something that suggests Ford may have been testing a new driveline.

There is nothing else to comment about the appearance of the prototype, however, we can tell you Ford has confirmed that all of its upcoming models will use the design DNA from last year’s Evos study. This means it is almost certain that the new Galaxy will sport a similar Aston Martin-like front grille.

As for the interior, we hear that the new Galaxy will adopt the dashboard design of the latest Mondeo (Fusion in North America).

The powertrain options will also be shared with the European Mondeo, including the petrol and diesel engines, though it remains to be seen if the Galaxy will be offered with a hybrid option.
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/04/spy-shots-ford-engineers-spotted.html

Ford to debut 2013 Explorer Sport model in fall

Ford Explorer buyers will have the choice of a new performance version scheduled to go on sale this fall.

On Wednesday, Ford unveiled the 2013 Explorer Sport model, distinguished by its 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbocharged V6 engine that will generate 350 horsepower — a 20% increase over the standard 3.5-liter V6 now available — but still get decent fuel economy for that amount of power. The SUV with standard four-wheel drive will get a projected 16 m.p.g. in city driving and 22 m.p.g. on the highway.

“This is the most fuel-efficient, gas-powered, high-performance SUV you can get,” said Bill Gubing, Explorer chief engineer.

Adding a performance variant freshens Explorer’s lineup and gives Ford a competitor against the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. The Jeep has more power with a 470-horsepower 6.4-liter V8, but gets fewer miles to the gallon than the Explorer Sport.

Ford has not released pricing, but the Sport will be a top trim level on par with an all-wheel drive Limited which starts at $40,680.

Customers have asked for a more powerful Explorer, especially from those trading in more powerful vehicles from luxury carmakers, said Eric Peterson, Ford utility marketing manager.

Past generations of the Explorer had a V8, but the new model switched to a lighter, more car-like unibody, dropped the V8 and introduced a fuel-sipping 2.0-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine, which accounts for about 10% of current sales. The majority choose the regular 3.5-liter V6.

Peterson would not say how many buyers might opt for the 3.5-liter EcoBoost when it goes on sale.

Ford also offers a Sport model of the smaller Edge crossover with a 3.7-liter V6 — not an EcoBoost. The Edge Sport accounts for 8% to 10% of Edge sales.

Peterson said the Sport might attract a higher percentage of total Explorer sales because “some former owners miss the V8.”

The engine may be smaller, but the “Explorer Sport makes no compromises,” said Carl Widmann, vehicle engineering manager. Some parts of the new engine are shared with the robust Explorer Police Interceptor.

In addition to beefing up the chassis and suspension, a new Terrain Management System should deliver better traction in snow and ice. With a more powerful engine, the new SUV can tow up to 5,000 pounds, Widmann said.

Contact Alisa Priddle: 313-222-5394 or apriddle@freepress.com

Platinum Coming to Super Duty

The image of a pickup as a cold, utilitarian workhorse is long gone. Nowadays, creature comforts and amenities, not to mention a smooth ride and loads of power under the hood, have moved the pickup far from strict practicality. And even better, the 2013 Ford Super Duty® has entered the world of practical luxury.

If you are familiar with the F-150 Platinum (which has been around since 2009), then you probably expect the first-ever Super Duty Platinum to also be about the high end of things. Available in the Super Duty Crew Cab, the configuration can be ordered on an F-250, F-350 or F-450 and with the available 6.7-liter Power Stroke® Turbo Diesel engine or the 6.2-liter V8 gas engine.

The Platinum Super Duty can be spotted in a crowd, thanks to its unique satin chrome grille, a monochromatic bumper and chrome tow hooks. In fact, chrome is king – it appears on door handles, mirror caps, running boards, the exhaust tip and the Platinum name on the box side and tailgate.

The cabin, meanwhile, has special woodgrain appliqués, and a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel with genuine wood accents. Premium woodgrain appears on the instrument panel, center stack and door trims. And a new storage area atop the dash has two USB ports, audiovisual connections and a 12-volt charging port for your cell or other digital devices. The voice-controlled MyFord Touch® connectivity system makes its first appearance on the Super Duty and, just for the F-Series, Ford designers have optimized the physical interface for MyFord Touch by providing easy access to climate controls and audio presets on the center stack to accommodate truck users who may be wearing work gloves.

MyFord Touch is standard equipment along with navigation, power-adjustable pedals, rear view camera, Remote Start System, universal garage door opener and power-telescoping mirrors. Available exterior colors are Ruby Red Tinted Clearcoat, Kodiak Brown Metallic, Tuxedo Black Metallic, Ingot Silver Metallic and White Platinum Metallic Tri-coat, while interior colors include Pecan and Charcoal Black.

The Platinum Super Duty will be available later this year. For more information, visit Ford.com/SuperDutyPlatinum.
http://social.ford.com/our-articles/trucks/superduty/platinum-coming-to-super-duty/

Ford Unveils ‘New’ 1965 Mustang

It’s now possible to build a brand new ’64½, ’65 or ’66 Ford Mustang convertible from the wheels up using this latest Ford-approved and officially licensed body shell.

Unveiled today ahead of its public debut at next week’s 2011 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, the new body shell joins previous ‘restoration parts’ versions for the 1967-68 and the 1969-70 fastback Mustang bodies.

The standard design is for the ’65 Mustang convertible but the original ’64½ as well as the later ’66 can be built depending on which powertrain and trim parts are added to it.

The body, which is currently being produced by Dynacorn and is ready for delivery, is priced at $15,000 and includes the doors, trunk lid, and all the sheet metal from the radiator support to the taillight panel except the hood and front fenders.

Unlike the original Mustangs of the 1960s, the new body shell is made using modern welding techniques and comes fully rust-proofed. This should ensure the cars are around to stay well into the future. The original Mustang sold more than 1.2 million units–including more than 174,000 convertibles–before its first redesign in 1967, but finding one in good nick is getting harder and harder these days.

To build a Mustang using the body shell, the powertrain, suspension and brakes, the electrical systems, the interior and trim can either be bought new or transferred from an existing car to the new body. You’ll find most of the parts from Ford-approved classic parts suppliers.

Written By Viknesh Vijayenthiran  |  Published October 28, 2011  |  High Gear Media

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/10/28/ford-unveils-new-165-ford-mustang/#ixzz1pxZ68FMz

Ford Teams Up with NBC for Prime-Time TV Reality Show ‘Escape Routes’

Ford is teaming up with NBC and eight-time Emmy Award-winning reality producer to create “Escape Routes,” a prime-time reality TV show that will air on Saturday nights on NBC and mun2 beginning March 31.
 
“Escape Routes” is a new interactive reality series that will feature a cast of six teams of two participating in a unique road-trip competition with real-world challenges featuring the all-new Ford Escape.
 
“This is the first time an automaker has used prime-time television to launch a new vehicle and it is a great showcase for the all-new Escape,” said Jim Farley, Ford group vice president for Global Marketing, Sales and Service. “‘Escape Routes’ builds on the success of Ford’s previous social engagement programs and takes it to the next level with TV. This is another example of the innovative ways Ford is reaching consumers.”
 
The show will air for six consecutive episodes and is hosted by reality TV show personality Rossi Morreale who has hosted a variety of network and cable TV programs. The show airs Saturday evenings at 8 pm/ET on NBC and will also air on mun2, the leading bi-cultural cable network for young Latino Americans, Saturday nights at 11 pm/ET. This is the first time Ford will air a series using both a general market broadcast and bilingual cable network. Each episode will also air on nbc.comand mun2.tv the day after the broadcast.
 
“At NBC, we continue to look for breakthrough ways to work with our partners and the ‘Escape Routes’ program was a unique opportunity that we hadn’t seen before,” said James Hoffman, executive vice president, Sales and Marketing, NBC. “We’re excited about the show and think the concept of ‘Escape Routes’ and its unique use of social media will add a compelling element to Saturday nights.”
 
“Escape Routes” will be produced by eight-time Emmy Award-winning producer Elise Doganieri in addition to David Leener from the Profiles Television team.
 
“We are excited to be partnering with Ford on this groundbreaking series,” said Doganieri. “There are two key elements to this series: first, the interactive element, which is designed to engage viewers throughout the show and encourage them to participate in the challenges; and second, the real-time twist where consumers have the ability to follow their favorite team in the digital space. We’ve enjoyed collaborating with Ford on this project and feel the end result has the potential to be a real game-changer in the reality world.”
 
“Escape Routes” is another step forward for Ford in merging product into new media.
 
“Ford has been in the original content space for a while, and we continuously look for opportunities to work with creative partners in a collaborative way,” said Farley. “For us, this is a natural progression from integrating product into existing programs to creating our own.”
 
The competition
“Escape Routes” is a unique road-trip competition with real-world challenges featuring the all-new Ford Escape. Each week, the six two-person teams will arrive in a new city where they compete in a series of spontaneous adventures and interactive challenges using their Escapes.
 
The journey begins in Los Angeles before heading to New York, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco and Las Vegas/L.A. Each stop will engage the online followers and tap into the fabric of the local culture. Viewers will be able to interact with and compete alongside the six teams throughout their adventures at escaperoutes.com.
 
“Escape Routes” is designed to give our audience an unprecedented level of engagement,” said Doganieri. “Not only will viewers be able to follow along in real time, but followers will have the ability to impact the outcome of the game.”
 
Internet personality, iJustine (ijustine.com), will be embedded with the teams on “Escape Routes” and capture exclusive behind-the-scenes content that will be distributed through his or her social graph as well as other earned and owned platforms.
 
The cast and America’s choice
The winning team will receive the $100,000 grand prize plus two new Ford Escapes. Online participants can win trips, high-tech gadgets and a brand-new Escape. Those teams are:
 

1.     Bre and Tara, best friends and soul mates from Boulder, Colo.
2.     Derek and Drew, musician brothers from Seattle
3.     Iris and Terrence, best friends from L.A.
4.     Brett and Ross, two YouTubers from L.A.
5.     Sharon and Wilson, a brother and sister from Florida

 
Additionally, Ford selected four teams to compete for the last spot in “Escape Routes” and online voters selected Tiffany and Chekesha, two models from New York, to be the sixth team.
 
Fans will be able to talk to the cast, Rossi and the Ford and NBC team behind the program on March 8 at 3:30 p.m. EST via a Google Hangout. The Google Hangout can be watched on gplus.to/fordmotorcompany.
 
The all-new Escape
Last fall, Ford kicked off “Escape Routes” in L.A. with actress Jenny McCarthy competing against the entire country in the world’s largest Words With Friends game. Ford joined with Zynga, the world’s largest social game developer, to reveal the Escape through social gaming. Now teamed with NBC, “Escape Routes” will launch the new vehicle, which will appear in dealerships this spring.
 
The all-new Escape is Ford’s newest sport utility vehicle. Nearly 2 million Escapes have been sold since the model was first introduced a decade ago, making it the best-selling small SUV in the United States. The new SUV has 11 exclusive features, including the class-exclusive hands-free liftgate, as well as fuel economy projected to top any vehicle of its kind on the market today.
DEARBORN, Mich., March 8, 2012 –

Ford launches Pi Day math challenge on Reddit

(CBS News) Pi Day is upon us and Ford Motor Company is celebrating the mathematical constant by launching a math challenge on the link-sharing site Reddit.

“Starting today at 11 a.m. EDT, Ford Fusion engineers will post a different math equation every 3 minutes and 14 seconds to Reddit and ask the community to solve each one,” the company said in a statement. “The first person to correctly answer one of the 42 total equations wins ‘Reddit Gold,’ which gives users special exclusive features for their account.”

The math challenge extends to Detroit area high school students, who will by vying for prizes throughout the day. Ford Fusion engineers will also speak to students at the Henry Ford Academy and Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies and challenge them to answer three mathematical equations actually used in the Ford Fusion.

“By celebrating Pi Day, we hope to get people to appreciate the impact math has in helping them get from home to work, school or the grocery store,” said Gil Portalatin, Ford Motor Company product development engineer. “Without math, the auto industry and your vehicles would look and drive completely different.”

Pi is a mathematical constant and irrational number that is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Because Pi is an infinite decimal, it is typically shortened to 3.14.

Happy Pi Day, everyone!

By Chenda Ngak | Topics: Tech Talk
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-57397043-501465/ford-launches-pi-day-math-challenge-on-reddit/

Sneak Peek! All-New Model Coming for 2013 F-Series Super Duty Lineup

On Friday, March 9, Ford Motor Company will introduce an all-new model in the 2013 F-Series Super Duty lineup. We’re making the announcement with our partners at Professional Bull Riders. What else are we planning for 2013?
Watch the live webcast at http://PBR.com/2013SuperDuty at 10 a.m. EST / 7 a.m. PST to find out!

Ford Software Upgrade Doubles Down

Ford took another step on its journey toward becoming a mobile technology company on wheels with the release of a free MyFord Touch software upgrade to more than 300,000 existing customers. The upgrade is being mailed to MyFord Touch users in the form of a USB flash drive that contains the new software, detailed instructions for the 60-minute download, and an updated user guide. Customers who don’t want to perform the upgrade at home can have it done at their local dealership.

The upgrade is meant in part to appease customer complaints about MyFord Touch, which replaces the traditional knobs and buttons on the dashboard with a touch screen. According the April issue of Consumer Reports, Ford fell from fifth to tenth in last year’s scorecards—the largest drop of any automaker—thanks largely to the MyFord Touch system’s tendency to crash and distract drivers.

Jennifer Brace, a user interface engineer for Ford, says the upgrade enhances the touch-screen interface by cleaning up the graphics and enlarging the fonts, making the response time on the touch screen two to five times faster, adding capabilities that support tablet computers and audio books, and enhancing the navigational system with 3-D photo realistic views. “Basically, it’s faster, simpler, and overall easier to use,” she adds.

Brace says Ford and the Microsoft engineers who created the interface incorporated feedback from employees who are MyFord Touch users, market research from entities like JD Powers, and customer and dealer surveys into the upgraded software. They also convened a series of clinics with 100 customers at a time to see where they could make the biggest improvements. MyFord Touch technology is currently available in the Edge, Explorer, Focus, and Lincoln MKX models.

Sure, all these features are cool, but are they influencing what customers purchase? Ford says yes, claiming that 56 percent of buyers said in owner surveys that MyFord Touch and SYNC technology was a key factor in their purchase decision, so the customer-satisfaction stakes are high.

“As far as the technology goes, customers see the value,” Brace says. “And we’re excited to give our customers the ability to upgrade software at a rate that’s similar to consumer electronics.”

Another major Ford connectivity initiative got a push last month when the automaker announced that beta test kits of its open-source software research platform, OpenXC, was shipped out to developers and universities across across the world, including the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, MIT, and Stanford.

Developed with New York City-based Bug Labs, OpenXC enables developers to read data from the vehicle’s internal communications network and create plug and play hardware modules as well as software apps. T.J. Giuli, a Ford technical expert, says the goal is to provide an environment for developers to play and invent apps that Ford’s engineers wouldn’t think of—particularly those apps that are designed for niche markets or with a hyperlocal focus.

In September, when the OpenXC platform was first announced, Bug Labs’ founder and CEO Peter Semmelhack told Xconomy that the idea behind it is a crowd-sourced, bottom-up approach—and one that Ford hopes not only accelerates innovation, but caters to every nook and cranny of customer satisfaction.

Sarah Schmid is the editor of Xconomy Detroit. You can reach her at 313-570-9823 or sschmid@xconomy.com or follow her on Twitter @xconomyDET.
http://www.xconomy.com/detroit/2012/03/07/ford-software-upgrade-doubles-down-on-connectivity-customer-satisfaction/