ford motor co (F) Snapshot

Ford Motor Co. announced that Ford engineers have developed the first robotic test driving program -- now in use at the company's Michigan Proving Grounds in Romeo, Mich. - to meet demands that Ford trucks undergo ever more strenuous Built Ford Tough testing with greater frequency. The pilot program has been used most recently for durability testing of Ford's all-new full-size Transit van, which launches in 2014. The durability technology includes a robotic control module installed in the test vehicle that controls vehicle steering, acceleration and braking. The module is set to follow a preprogrammed course, and the vehicle's position is tracked via cameras in a central control room and GPS accurate to plus/minus one inch. Should the vehicle stray from its programmed course, engineers have the ability to stop the vehicle, course correct as necessary, and restart the test. Onboard sensors can command a full stop if a pedestrian or another vehicle strays into the path. The robotically driven vehicles are expected to repeatedly perform tests on torturous surfaces with names like Silver Creek, Power Hop Hill and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The tests can compress 10 years of daily driving abuse into courses just a few hundred yards long, with surfaces that include broken concrete, cobblestones, metal grates, rough gravel, mud pits and oversized speed bumps. All North American Ford trucks must pass this battery of durability tests before they're certified for customer use. Until now, testing speeds and repetitions for specific scenarios were limited due to restrictions placed on human drivers, who were allowed to drive certain rigorous courses only once a day. The use of robots now accelerates this testing, allowing an unlimited number of repeats until Ford engineers are satisfied with the results. Robots also allow Ford to develop even more challenging durability tests to build tougher trucks.

To discuss details of the 2012/13 Sustainability Report

Ford Motor Co. reported sales results for the month and year to date ended May 2013. For May, the company reported total vehicles of 246,585 against 216,267 a year ago. For the year to date, the company reported total vehicles of 1,057,652 against 935,864 a year ago.