Ford C-MAX Delivers 570 Miles on One Tank of Gas, Taking Customers Further Than Toyota Prius v at 450 Miles

• All-new 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid delivers EPA-certified 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway ratings – 7 mpg better than Toyota Prius v on the highway – for a 47 mpg combined rating


• C-MAX Hybrid to offer “real car” range at 570 miles on one tank of gas, taking customers from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and back on one tank, beating Toyota Prius v by 120 miles


• Ford’s first hybrid to achieve equal city and highway ratings, the versatile C-MAX Hybrid also is expected to offer 15 class-exclusive features such as the available hands-free liftgate


• C-MAX Hybrid launches this fall as part of Ford’s power of choice strategy to deliver leading fuel economy across its lineup while tripling electrified vehicle production capacity by 2013

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 20, 2012 – Ford Motor Company once again raises the hybrid fuel-economy bar with the all-new Ford C-MAX Hybrid, which is now officially EPA-certified at 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined – beating Toyota Prius v by up to 7 mpg.

Hybrids traditionally have been more economical in city driving than on the highway, unlike conventional vehicles. C-MAX Hybrid is Ford’s first hybrid vehicle to offer 47 mpg across the board.

C-MAX Hybrid returns the same fuel economy whether driving cross-country or across the city – stemming mostly from a growing list of Ford innovations that have helped the vehicle to deliver an impressive list of metrics, such as its 570-mile overall range, taking customers from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and back on one tank of gas.

“The all-new C-MAX Hybrid is a great symbol of how Ford has transformed into a fuel-economy and technology leader with 47 mpg across the board and a highway rating 7 mpg better than Toyota Prius v,” said Ford Vice President of Powertrain Engineering Joe Bakaj. “We’ve done this with innovation – represented by nearly 500 hybrid patents – while driving costs down 30 percent so we can bring these fuel-saving vehicles to more customers.”

C-MAX Hybrid is expected to be America’s most affordable hybrid utility vehicle with a base price of $25,995, including destination and delivery, which is $1,300 lower than Toyota Prius v. C-MAX Hybrid is currently available for order at Ford dealers nationwide.

As hybrid vehicle drivers traditionally saw superior fuel-economy figures in city driving, loyalists maximized their fuel economy through regenerative braking in stop-and-go traffic. But now higher-speed innovations have caught up on efficiency.

“City, highway, and everywhere in between, C-MAX Hybrid is EPA-certified at 47 mpg,” Bakaj said. “It’s a win-win-win.”

The power of C-MAX Hybrid stems from the combination of a gasoline engine and a battery-driven electric motor, providing customers with “real car” performance and capability. C-MAX Hybrid will offer a top speed of 62 mph in EV mode and 188 net horsepower, beating the Toyota Prius v by more than 50 horsepower. When powered by gasoline, C-MAX Hybrid uses the all-new 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine – powerful and fuel efficient and among the most advanced non-turbocharged four-cylinder powertrains Ford has ever offered.

C-MAX Hybrid also offers class-exclusive technologies such as SmartGauge with EcoGuide along with the available hands-free liftgate and active park assist.

The latest-generation SmartGauge® with EcoGuide is designed to help drivers get the most from the C-MAX Hybrid, providing information such as instantaneous fuel economy to help them more closely monitor how their driving behavior affects the vehicle’s efficiency.

The Brake Coach feature – part of SmartGauge – helps drivers optimize their use of the braking system so that driving range can be enhanced through proper braking techniques. Redesigned imagery of green leaves shows overall driving efficiency – as drivers improve their efficient driving, they are rewarded with more leaves.

C-MAX Hybrid offers room for five people and plenty of cargo – making it perfect for the owner with an active lifestyle.

The vehicle has a high roofline – 63.9 inches – offering ample interior space and flexibility. C-MAX Hybrid offers 99.7 cubic feet of passenger space compared with 97 cubic feet in the Toyota. The spacious C-MAX Hybrid also provides greater headroom in both front and rear seats than the Prius v (41 and 39.4 inches, versus 39.6 and 38.6 inches).

For cargo, C-MAX Hybrid has 60/40 split-fold rear seats. The seats easily fold flat with 52.6 cubic feet of space behind the first row and 24.5 cubic feet behind the second row.

Maximum power of choice
The all-new C-MAX Hybrid is part of Ford’s first dedicated line of hybrid vehicles that also includes the 2013 C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid.

Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid – coming later this fall – is projected to deliver 550 miles of total range, including more than 20 miles in electric-only mode, nearly double the electric-only range of the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Further, C-MAX Energi delivers the top electric-only speed of any plug-in hybrid – 85 mph – more than 20 mph higher than the Toyota Prius plug-in.

C-MAX hybrid vehicles headline Ford’s transformed lineup, one third of which will feature a model with 40 mpg or more in 2012, building on the company’s commitment to give fuel-efficiency-minded customers the power of choice. Ford is tripling electrified vehicle production capacity by 2013 as part of this fuel-economy push.

In addition to C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi, the other three electrified vehicles are:

Focus Electric: Production began late 2011; America’s most fuel-efficient compact with 110 MPGe city; charge time of four hours with the available 240-volt charging station, which is nearly half the time as Nissan Leaf
All-new Fusion Hybrid: Coming this fall; 47 mpg expected to beat Toyota Camry Hybrid by 5 mpg highway
Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid: Will begin production by the end of 2012; aiming to be the most fuel-efficient midsize car in the world
More information about C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi can be found here. Press releases, videos, photos and other material related to Ford’s electrified vehicles can be found here.

Survey Says: American Drivers Want Features That Help Make Them More Aware; New Ford Fusion up to the Challenge

• Nearly nine in 10 drivers are interested in alert and assist technologies like those offered on the all-new Ford Fusion launching this fall, according to a new Ford survey


• Drivers acknowledge their limitations: Nearly 50 percent have fallen asleep while driving or know someone who has; nearly six in 10 blame blind spots for accidents or near collisions and nearly four in 10 of those surveyed fear parallel parking


• The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion offers the most complete suite of advanced driver assist technologies in the family sedan segment – capabilities previously only available in luxury cars that cost at least $100,000


• Early orders for the 2013 Fusion include higher-than-expected demand for new technology features

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 28, 2012 – According to a new survey commissioned by Ford, most Americans say they consider themselves to be careful drivers but admit they would welcome some extra electronic help when they’re behind the wheel. Even the most attentive of drivers can’t see everything around them at all times or anticipate every hazard on the road.

Customer attitudes evolving
Recently, leading market research firm Penn Schoen Berland conducted the survey of American drivers over the age of 18 to learn more about their attitudes toward driver assist technology.

The survey found that the vast majority of drivers are interested in getting some extra assist features in their next vehicle to help them avoid potential accidents.

“We found the drivers we talked to were definitely inclined toward features that provided real practical benefits by alerting them to potentially hazardous situations they may have missed,” said Billy Mann, managing director of Penn Schoen Berland. “For them, assistance features that increase awareness ranked high among their priorities.”

Even under ideal daytime conditions on a dry road, traffic can suddenly slow or someone can slip into the gap between you and the car ahead. When the sun goes down or the clouds open up, it gets harder to judge what a suitable following distance might be. Nearly nine out of 10 of the survey respondents expressed interest in technology that could assist in slowing their car if it determines there is a potential collision ahead.

Whether on the highway during rush hour, in urban traffic or a parking lot, driving in close quarters with other vehicles can be stressful for any driver. Two-thirds of the drivers who participated in the survey indicated they would be interested in systems that can help them see around other vehicles while backing out of a parking space and detect other vehicles that might be in a blind spot over their shoulders.

Meeting customer demands
“Basic transportation has long been the dominant style in the midsize family sedan segment,” says Amy Marentic, Ford Group Marketing manager. “This survey shows that as consumers have become accustomed to using electronic assistants in other aspects of life, they are increasingly recognizing how technology can help them cope with the stresses of driving.”

Fatigue or inattentiveness can lead to a car drifting out of its lane and eight in 10 of the surveyed drivers expressed interest in a system that could provide an alert or even help to keep the vehicle in the lane. Ford’s Lane-Keeping System uses a forward-facing camera to watch for visible road markings, alerting the driver by vibrating the steering wheel if the system senses the car drifting out of its lane. Fusion is the only car in the segment that also applies a torque to the steering wheel to help nudge the car back into the lane.

“With the emergence of sensor-packed smartphones over the past several years, consumers have become accustomed to using their electronic gadgets to realize real-world benefits such as finding their way in unfamiliar places, figuring out the best place to grab a meal and track their exercise,” says Sheryl Connelly, Ford manager of Global Trends and Futuring. “Advanced driver assistance features bring those benefits to the driving experience by extending the driver’s senses beyond the car.”

While respondents almost universally consider themselves to be safe behind the wheel, the majority also acknowledge that they engage in other activities when they are behind the wheel. Three-quarters admit to eating or drinking behind the wheel and more than half have exceeded the speed limit or used a hand-held mobile phone. Eighty-three percent admit that either they or someone they know has driven when very tired.

Adult American drivers are self-aware enough to recognize the flaws in their own driving habits and express interest in technological aids.

“We see the driver as always being at the center of control of the vehicle,” said Randy Visintainer, director of Ford Research and Innovation. “With improvements in sensing and control technologies, we can now provide unprecedented levels of assistance to drivers.”

While understanding it is critical that drivers always retain full control of their vehicle, Ford engineers recognize there will always be situations where they can use some help, says Visintainer, so they’ve developed a full suite of driver assistance technologies to help mitigate the risks. Until now, it’s only been possible to get many of these features in luxury cars costing $100,000 or more.

The 2013 Ford Fusion is the first and only entry to offer all of these features in the most popular segment in the American car market including:

Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert
Adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning with brake support
Lane-Keeping System with Driver Alert System
Active park assist
Rear-view camera system
SYNC®

“In the early weeks of taking orders for the new Fusion, customer interest in these driver assist features is translating into strong demand,” says Marentic. “More than 14 percent of the orders so far include the Driver Assist Package (BLIS, Lane-Keeping System, auto high-beams and rain-sensing wipers), exceeding our expectations.”

Fusion is the first mainstream midsize sedan to offer adaptive cruise control and more than 5 percent of customers so far are requesting this radar-based system that also incorporates forward collision warning.

For 2013, all new Fusions include the award-winning SYNC in-vehicle connectivity system as standard equipment. More than half of the respondents in the survey acknowledge they have used a hand-held mobile phone while driving. Fifty percent of customers so far are getting the enhanced voice control provided by MyFord Touch®, which is optional on Fusion SE and standard on Titanium models

Never Drive Past a Deal Again with ROXIMITY, the New Personalized, Location-Aware Retail App for Ford SYNC

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 8, 2012 – Want to know where the best nearby deals are for pizza, an oil change, or tickets to your favorite event before it’s too late and you’ve driven past? Now it’s possible, with the release of ROXIMITY, a real-time, location-aware alert service that lets users know of surrounding deals and specials.

Today ROXIMITY, winner of the Ford SYNC® App Developer Challenge at the 2011 TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon, launched its new app for iOS devices. The app is compatible with SYNC AppLink™, Ford’s hands-free, voice-controlled mobile connectivity technology.

“The launch of ROXIMITY is truly exciting for us, since it was the SYNC in-car experience that sparked the team to go from idea to reality,” said Doug VanDagens, global director of Ford Connected Services. “Finding and supporting startups like ROXIMITY is what will keep Ford at the forefront of in-car connectivity innovations. With ROXIMITY we become the first automaker to offer a personalized daily deal location service.”

ROXIMITY enables registered users to input individual preferences and interests. Then, as users drive, walk or bike past a restaurant or store that might have a deal or special they would find appealing, a push notification is sent to their phone informing them of what they are near.

With SYNC AppLink compatibility, ROXIMITY provides a convenient way to improve a consumer’s time behind the wheel while running errands. When drivers connect their phone to SYNC via USB and activate AppLink, they can simply use their voice to ask ROXIMITY for any special deals nearby within designated retail categories, including restaurants, home services, spas and salons, and men’s or women’s clothing.

“While driving, users can simply say, ‘lunch deals,’ and their favorite lunch options will be read out loud,” says Danny Newman, co-founder and CEO of ROXIMITY. “There’s nothing like ROXIMITY. Other deal services offer coupons for the entire metropolitan area or for things that are not relevant to you. ROXIMITY is personalized and will provide you what you want, when you want it.”

As winner of the SYNC App Developer Challenge at the 2011 TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon, ROXIMITY was given access by Ford to the company’s SYNC AppLink application programming interface (API) so the team could integrate its new idea to be compatible with the in-vehicle connectivity system.

Click here to see a video of the creators of ROXIMITY.

In 2011, ROXIMITY was nothing more than a seed of an idea scribbled in a notebook. When Newman and his partners Austin Gayer and Joe Mease showed up at the TechCrunch Hackathon, they knew they wanted to develop that idea. They saw Ford was title sponsor of the event and looking for the next big idea, and everything just clicked.

“This app is really complemented by the car,” Newman explains. “We know that when you are on the road and on the go, you may want to know the best deals for food, gas and shopping. Or, you may be on a trip and don’t know the area and just need to take a quick break. ROXIMITY helps make the most of your time. It is like your own personal intelligent sidekick.”

ROXIMITY is the first app to have AppLink compatibility at its initial launch.

“It’s great to be a part of ROXIMITY from the beginning,” says Stefan Bankowski, Ford SYNC AppLink engineer. “When they pitched the idea, we knew this had the potential to be a driver’s best friend. Adding voice control to check for deals and specials adds a layer of convenience to driving, and allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

“Ford is always looking to collaborate with innovators,” Bankowski adds. “With the fast pace of development in the tech industry, we know great ideas are out there, we just need to find them and provide access to our SYNC platform, just like we did with ROXIMITY.”

The eight-person ROXIMITY team was recently selected for the TechStars entrepreneurial business accelerator program in Boulder, Colo. Of the more than 1,200 companies that applied, only 12 were chosen. The prestigious program invests up to $118,000 in each company, and the three-month curriculum provides intense mentoring and guidance. The culmination of the program is a demo day in which investors view the companies, hear pitches from the teams, then decide whether to contribute more to the startup business.

How ROXIMITY works
ROXIMITY is a free app and service that lets users choose from multiple settings to indicate the type of deal notifications they would like to receive. Users can then set text or push notification preferences for their deal alerts on a smartphone or even a “feature” phone.

As users interact with the app over time, the ROXIMITY platform learns their interests and patterns and becomes more aware of the offers the user will find appealing. Users have the ability to limit the number of deals ROXIMITY reports per day or week.

When connected through SYNC AppLink, drivers can activate ROXIMITY to verbally relay deals at their request while driving.

SYNC AppLink integration enables drivers to use simple voice commands to access a list of deals nearby or in specific retail categories. The voice commands and features include:

“Find nearby deals” commands the app to search for all deals, regardless of category, in a predefined search radius set within the app preferences
“List deal categories” reminds you of all retail categories, including:
Restaurants
Spa and Salon
Health and Fitness
Men’s Clothing
Women’s Clothing
Food and Grocery
Bars and Clubs
Treats
Home Services
Auto Services
Entertainment
Sports Events
Concerts
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Late Night
“Call Retailer” directly dials the retailer, using hands-free SYNC, allowing you to easily take advantage of the deal, such as ordering a pizza

With ROXIMITY, users can find and redeem hundreds of thousands of offers nationwide from favorite places such as Banana Republic, Express, GameStop, Gap, H&M, PacSun, Pottery Barn, Qdoba, The Body Shop, Williams-Sonoma and more.

ROXIMITY is now available for download in the App Store for iOS devices and users can register for the service here. A version for Android devices is in development.

Ford’s MyFord Mobile App and Batteries Allow Customers to Benefit from More Than 9,400 U.S. Public Charging Statio

• When using a 240-volt charger – what most public stations deliver – Ford Focus Electric can fully charge in four hours and the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid can fully charge in two-and-a-half hours


• The MyFord® Mobile app – available through the App Store – was developed by Ford engineers for Ford vehicles; it includes a public charger location database powered by MapQuest® with newly installed stations constantly being added to the list


• Ford Focus Electric, C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid will or already have launched, giving customers true power of choice when it comes to deciding how they will take advantage of the growing electric vehicle infrastructure

DEARBORN, Mich., July 30, 2012 – Ford is making sure its customers can take advantage of the rapidly growing electric vehicle infrastructure in the U.S. – now with more than 9,400 public charging stations – by equipping cars like C-MAX Energi with batteries that can charge in as little as 2.5 hours and offering an app that is updated daily and helps find nearby charging stations.

MyFord® Mobile is an app developed by Ford engineers that can only be used with Ford Focus Electric and the soon-to-be-available C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrids. In addition to locating charging stations, the app allows customers to manage remote charging, view current battery status and plan trips.

The charging station locator is powered by MapQuest® and provides important details about charging stations in close proximity to the owner’s vehicle, such as street address and hours of operation.Stations are popping up all over, too – from local grocery stores in Pittsburgh, churches in Austin, Texas, and hospitals in Portland to places like McDonald’s, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Walgreens, Target, Cracker Barrel and Walmart.

“As more stations join the grid, MyFord Mobile users will be among the first to know because information about charger locations is constantly being culled from various sources to provide the most up-to-date data,” said Mike Tinskey, Ford’s manager of Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure.

Up-to-date information is important because there are now 9,445 public stations in the U.S., according to current U.S. Department of Energy numbers. By comparison, there were about 2,500 public charging stations in the U.S. at the end of 2009.

“In addition to having innovative features that allow customers to minimize their transportation costs and maximize their EV driving range, MyFord Mobile also is the only mobile app that integrates up-to-date charge station locations real-time within the application,” said Tinskey.

Ford is tripling its electrified vehicle production capacity by 2013 with cars equipped with batteries that allow for quick charging at public charging stations.

Focus Electric – America’s most fuel-efficient compact that offers the equivalent of up to 110 miles per gallon (MPGe) city – is equipped with an advanced lithium-ion battery pack that can be fully charged in four hours, or about half the time of the Nissan Leaf.

C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid – available this fall – will be able to recharge fully in two-and-a-half hours. C-MAX Energi is Ford’s first production plug-in hybrid, part of the company’s first hybrid-only dedicated line of vehicles, and now it is America’s most affordable plug-in hybrid. The vehicle is expected to deliver 95 MPGe, along with 550 miles of total range; its electric-only range is more than three times that of Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid per EPA testing methods. The all-new Fusion Energi, also a plug-in hybrid, is in the pipeline as well.

With the new electrified offerings from Ford, the rapid development of the public infrastructure to support the new electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles couldn’t be timed any better, said Tinskey.

“I cannot recall another time in our history when there was so much momentum and resources around an energy shift for transportation,” he says. “Not only are these charge stations a boost for consumers thinking about a plug-in hybrid vehicle, but they also provide a glimpse of how things will likely take shape in the future.”

Public charging stations aren’t the only way electric and plug-in hybrids are charged.

J.R. DeShazo, director of UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation, says research shows charging a vehicle at home remains the most common method for charging. The center researches and reports on environmental and sustainability issues.

Ford has ensured customers who prefer to charge at home are able to do so by making available a 240-volt charger designed specifically for Ford vehicles and for use in a residential setting. More information about the residential charger available at Best Buy can be found here.

The availability of 240-volt chargers – public or private – is important because they allow for faster charging of the advanced lithium-ion batteries used in Ford’s newest electrified vehicles. Focus Electric, for example, is able to fully recharge in four hours – about half the time of the Nissan Leaf.

Ford’s decades of battery research laid the groundwork for moving from larger, heavier nickel-metal-hydride batteries found in previous-generation vehicles to today’s lighter, more powerful lithium-ion batteries.

Ford’s battery cell reliability, in fact, has been tested around the clock in high-mileage, extreme-use hybrid taxis around the country – including more than 80 million miles of operation in California. Yet, among the nearly 43 million battery cells Ford has tested or seen put to work in customer vehicles, only five issues have been documented. More information about the evolution of Ford’s battery quality can be found here.

Power of choice
Charging station installers have installed stations because they see electric vehicle adoption as a foregone conclusion with the only remaining question pertaining to how quickly adoption takes place, says DeShazo.

“As automakers like Ford meet drivers’ needs, excite drivers – and at the same time provide them with vehicles that lower refueling costs and provide greater environmental and social benefits – the quicker we’re going to see these important technologies and important vehicles adopted,” said DeShazo.

The five electrified vehicles Ford is launchingfall in line with the company’s goal of providing customers with power of choice when it comes to fuel-efficient vehicles. The electrified vehicles are:

Focus Electric: Production began late 2011; America’s most fuel-efficient compact with 110 MPGe city; charge time of four hours with the available 240-volt charging station, which is nearly half the time as Nissan Leaf
C-MAX Hybrid: Projected to achieve 47 mpg city, at least 3 mpg better than Toyota Prius v with more performance and technology – all at a $1,300-lower base price
C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid: Coming this fall; electric-mode MPGe that is more than three times that of Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid per EPA testing methods; 95 MPGe; total range of 550 miles
All-new Fusion Hybrid: Coming this fall; 47 mpg expected to beat Toyota Camry Hybrid by 5 mpg highway
Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid: Will begin production by the end of 2012; aiming to be the most fuel-efficient midsize car in the world

Ford Enables SYNC Voice Control of Allergy Alert App by IMS Health Giving Drivers On-Demand Access to Allergy Forecasts

• Drivers of Ford SYNC® AppLink™-equipped vehicles now can check allergy, pollen, asthma, flu and UV conditions on the go with the Allergy Alert® app


• Allergy sufferers can check current forecasts using simple voice commands


• Ford continues in efforts to improve the health and wellness of drivers by utilizing connectivity for more than information and entertainment
  

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 2, 2012 – Allergy Alert® app is now compatible with Ford SYNC® AppLink™ to give drivers a safe way to check the potential for scratchy eyes, sore throats and runny noses while on the go.

“Mobile health apps are changing the way consumers manage their own wellness, and Ford SYNC provides the platform to extend this growing trend to the driving experience,” explained Doug VanDagens, global director of Ford Connected Services. “The SYNC AppLink-enabled Allergy Alert app allows drivers to quickly check current and upcoming pollen and other health risk conditions with simple voice commands while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”

According to Pollen.com, seasonal allergy symptoms affect 20 percent of Americans annually. Those suffering with allergies are challenged to figure out if pollen levels are up or down and how it may impact their health that day. Pollen.com is a publicly available allergy resource supplied by IMS Health, a global leader in healthcare information, services and technology, and the data provider for the Allergy Alert app.

“Pollen affects everyone differently, and the IMS app was developed to specifically help people on the move improve their quality of life,” said Dan Barton, U.S. head of product development for IMS Health. “Our experience with allergy sufferers suggests a strong demand for real-time information. The technology we’ve applied in the Ford SYNC AppLink-equipped car helps drivers better prepare for the allergens they may encounter on the road by delivering reliable, timely and relevant information related to their destination. The app gives users the ability to more consistently manage their symptoms.”

With SYNC AppLink, drivers can connect smartphones or tablets to their cars, and by using simple voice commands are able to quickly access information from Allergy Alert – while not having to take their hands off the wheel or eyes off the road.

Through the app’s pollen index rating, drivers can request to hear the types of allergen conditions they are likely to encounter that may cause a flare-up in personal allergy symptoms. The app also provides a risk index for asthma, flu/cough/cold and ultraviolet rays.

Based on the growing trend in mobile and Web-based healthcare services, Ford initiated research into health and wellness apps that could leverage SYNC’s connectivity capability. In spring of last year, Ford kicked off a series of research projects for in-car health and wellness-connected services such as medical device connectivity, cloud-based health management services and mobile app integration. In just over a year, Ford is now delivering on the initial research with Allergy Alert as one of the first steps toward helping drivers to take care of themselves and their passengers.

“We are attempting to create the car that cares,” says Gary Strumolo, global manager of Ford Research and Innovation. “We want to change the paradigm that in-car connectivity systems such as SYNC can only be used for information and entertainment purposes. Health and wellness are key issues for our customers outside of the car; therefore, we want to leverage our connectivity platform to improve their time behind the wheel. The trend in mobile health is all about knowing potential health concerns before they happen so that they don’t surprise a person, even while driving.”

SYNC AppLink integration enables drivers to use simple voice commands to access the health and wellness features of the Allergy Alert app while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The voice commands and features include:

“Current location”updates the driver’s location using the car’s built-in GPS receiver to report the most accurate and up-to-date information
“Allergy”provides a verbal pollen index to users that rates the severity of pollen levels in the surrounding environment on a scale from 0 to 12
“Pollen”specifies that pollens are predominantly in the air
“Asthma” uses a 0 to 12 scale to address potential and upcoming concerns for asthmatics
“Flu” addresses the current and upcoming flu index and report
“UV” tells drivers of the current and upcoming risks of UV rays
“ZIP 1,” “ZIP 2” and “ZIP 3”stores up to three ZIP codes in the settings menu of users’ device. The first ZIP code is the default location when not using the GPS position. The second and third ZIP enable users to store ZIP codes outside of their current area, such as a mother storing the ZIP code of her child’s school

The SYNC AppLink-enabled version of Allergy Alert is available for iOS devices and is a free app that can be downloaded from the App Store.