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SPECIAL

Ford Territory

SPECIAL

Ford Territory

News Watch Issue 11, Thursday, February 7, 2002

Staff, Thursday February 7, 2002.

Page 1 of 1

ON THE MOVE
Ford Australia is announcing two changes in its senior management team. Mr Vin May has been appointed Vice President Manufacturing with effect from March 1, 2002. He replaces Ms Rita Bateman who is returning to the US with her new assignment to be announced at a later date. Mr May is presently Plant Manager, Southampton and has previously held a number of senior manufacturing positions in Europe and New Zealand including Production Operations Director, Jaguar Cars; General Manufacturing Manager, Auto Europa, Portugal; and President, Vehicle Assemblers New Zealand. The company is also announcing the appointment of Ms Karen Horan as Vice President of Human Resources effective immediately. She succeeds Mr Bill Dirksen, who is returning to the US to take up the position of Director, HR Business Operations, Manufacturing. Ms Horan was previously Manager HR Business Operations Powertrain based in Dearborn.

MALE EMPLOYEES FLEX THEIR VIEWS
Ford Australia is participating in a study to investigate if its industry-leading family friendly policies are as popular with males as with female employees. Ford has won a number of accolades for its innovative flexible work options including a National Work and Family Award, and recognition as one of Australia's top female-friendly companies by the Federal Government's Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency. Now Ford is joining a study being run jointly by the Federal Government and the University of NSW which is looking at men's patterns of use of family friendly work programs. The research aims are to identify and to understand any barriers to men's take-up of current programs. Researchers conducted focus groups at Ford over a week with male employees and their partners as well as supervisors. Issues included: Do men feel their careers might be affected if they opt for more flexibility? After a couple has a family does the partner who earns least take time out for child rearing? Ford has leading policies in place but what messages are given about flexibility by supervisors and managers? Ford is hoping to use the study results, due out in March, to further develop its programs.

FORD SPOTLIGHTS HEADLAMP TECHNOLOGY OF FUTURE
Ford Motor Company is shining the spotlight on new headlamp technology, displaying some of the industry's most advanced illumination on concept vehicles unveiled recently such as the F-350 Tonka pickup and GT40. Two types of technology are on show. The first is Ford's fibre optic HID headlamp system which allows the light source to be spectrally tuned, essentially allowing engineers to illuminate the road with the proper colour balance of light most comfortable to the human eye and best enhances nighttime visibility. Fibre optic HIDs deliver a smoother pattern of light, improved safety through enhanced illumination, are environmentally friendly and require less power, which potentially can translate to improved fuel economy. Future fibre optics could allow Ford to deliver "smart" lighting ? headlamps that automatically adjust to road, weather and vehicle conditions. The second technology marks the debut of high intensity LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights in a headlamp application. LEDs better distribute illumination on the road than conventional halogen lights, as well as a means to reduce electrical power and emissions. While halogen bulbs take a fraction of a second to respond to an electrical input, LEDs respond instantly, giving valuable extra warning time for other drivers. LEDs also are very efficient ? using up to 50 percent less electricity than halogen lights. With thinner packaging than conventional lights, LEDs also create new possibilities for signature lighting and allow for more flexibility in design.

FORD FITS AIR BAG SIZE TO OCCUPANTS
Ford Motor Company is developing new air bag and safety belt technologies that more closely match these safety systems to the size of occupants and severity of a crash. Today's air bag and safety belt systems in the US are designed to meet the needs of an average-sized 150-pound adult. Ford now is working on advancements to its personal safety system to allow it to distinguish between a child, small adult or teenager, average adult or large adult ? and to deploy restraints accordingly. The improvements will help to further reduce the risk of real-world fatalities and serious injuries for customers. The system uses a series of sensors to analyse accident and occupant conditions and determine how the air bags and safety belt restraints should respond for occupant protection in frontal crashes. "Being able to determine the size of a person is key," said Susan Cischke, Vice President of Environmental and Safety Engineering at Ford. "In the future, we'll be able to make sure the appropriate type of protection is available and is tailored to fit an individual's needs no matter how big or small they are."

FORD EYES HEAVY USE OF LIGHTWEIGHT ALUMINUM
With weight savings of 40 to 50 percent in body-in-white structures alone ( a vehicle's body panels and attached basic understructure), it's no wonder Ford has selected aluminum as one of its high priority technology projects. Engineers from Volvo, Jaguar, Ford in the United States and its manufacturing and purchasing arms have worked together with suppliers to attack the major hurdle in Ford Motor Company's quest for widespread use of aluminum body structures: cost. Ford already builds many aluminum engines and body panels, such as deck lids and hoods, but unique manufacturing processes and techniques are necessay to produce body structures from the lightweight material, adding substantial cost versus steel structures ? not to mention a formidable learning curve. "There are numerous detailed issues that have been worked out over the years for steel because we've used it so much in production, but we haven't had the same degree of refinement and development in the aluminum industry," explained Will Boddie, Vice President Global Core Engineering. Jaguar engineers are playing a key role in Ford's corporate knowledge bank on aluminum technology, as the British luxury brand will debut Ford's first production vehicle equipped with an aluminum-intensive body structure when it introduces the next-generation Jaguar XJ sedan in the near future. Eventually, Ford plans to spread the use of aluminum body structures throughout its global brands.

FORD PARTNERS IN FREEDOM CAR PROGRAM
The US government, Ford Motor Company, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors have announced an historic partnership marking a long-term transition from petrol to hydrogen power. The public-private partnership, called FreedomCAR, promotes the development of hydrogen as a primary fuel for cars and trucks. The goal is to develop a vehicle that is completely petroleum-free. The partnership will fund research into advanced, efficient fuel-cell technology, which uses hydrogen to power automobiles without creating any pollution. The "CAR" in the partnership name stands for Cooperative Automotive Research, and that is what's required to make the program a success according to its members. "I'm glad Ford is a part of this program," said Will Boddie Vice President Global Core Engineering. "Ford has developed hydrogen technologies for the past several years because we believe it is one of the most promising possibilities as a future energy source for the personal transportation sector." Ford has been a leader in alternative fuel vehicle development for more than a decade. Ford's current lineup includes dozens of vehicles that run on natural gas, propane and electricity. Partnership members also believe the success of the FreedomCAR means the United States will be far less dependent on imported oil from unstable regions of the world.

FORD TELEMATICS BRINGS THE LATEST TRAVEL AND TRAFFIC UPDATES
One-third of motorists waste nearly two weeks a year sitting in traffic jams, and during their lifetime, will probably turn up late a staggering 8,000 times, according to a new survey by Ford Telematics in the United Kingdom. Fortunately, good news is at hand. Ford in the UK has recently launched Ford Telematics ? a personal, in-car assistant that is accessed via four function buttons on the audio unit: traffic information, emergency and roadside assistance, plus voice-activated cellular phone. The system is designed to help motorists manage their time better while they are on the road, including real-time access to route directions. Of those surveyed, 46 percent said that other people's driving was the most stressful factor when on the road, while the constant buildup of traffic came in second at 30 percent. Others said that getting lost or a lack of travel information would get their pulse racing. With the new Ford system, drivers are able to make their journeys more pleasurable and less stressful, and as the system is voice-activated, it allows for minimum distraction. The system is available on new Ford Focus and Mondeo models, and operates via the Vodafone network. The technology is off-board so as and when new services are developed, drivers will still be able to use their existing system.

For further information contact:
Ford Australia Communications
Phone: (03) 9359 8491

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