Ford Monitors Health and Wellness Via Vehicle Technology

Ford Motor Company is always researching ways in which to better meet consumers’ needs. Amidst their research, Ford realized the demographic trend of a declining birthrate. This decline has been attributed to the economic downturn as well as a decline in fertility rates. Ford also understands that “for the first time, people age 65 and over soon will outnumber children under the age of 5.” This is because the Baby Boomer generation (someone born between 1946 and 1964) is just starting to hit the 65 and older age range. There are over 76 million Americans who fall into this demographic. Ford also cites that “by 2030 the number of people over 50 years old will surpass those under 20”.

With a significant portion of the population reaching the mid-adult to senior age group, Ford wants to make sure they are able to accommodate their customers’ needs throughout their life. Currently Ford Motor Company is working on several different enhancements to their vehicles that will help monitor health and wellness. Ford is currently developing technology that will monitor heart rate and heart activity, glucose levels, and pollen counts.

Seats That Monitor Heat Rates?

According to the National Institutes of Health, about 1.2 million people each year have heart attacks.* In an effort to try and monitor driver’s heart rates, Ford along with German research engineers, have produced a vehicle seat that measures the “heart’s electrical impulses and detects signs of irregularity”. These vitals are monitored by electrocardiograph technology sensors built into the seat. Even though this seat is still a prototype and not yet being mass-produced, Ford’s goal is that the technology will be able to warn drivers with heart conditions of impending problems or alert them of an upcoming heart attack.

Predicting Pollen Problems

Existing technology, Ford SYNC, will be used to monitor pollen counts as well as alert drivers of other allergens in the air. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America cites that about 60 million Americans suffer from asthma and allergy problems. “Along with providing voice control and audible alerts, Ford SYNC can display allergy information from the Allergy Alert app in the radio display area or center stack touch screen.” While it won’t eliminate pollen it will help make drivers more aware of the levels around them so they can take the appropriate measures to counteract it.

Driving With Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association states that 8.3% of the US population has diabetes. This is about 26 million adults and children. Diabetes is also one of the leading causes of death in the US. With these facts in mind, Ford wanted to develop a technology that allows drivers to monitor their glucose levels while they are traveling. A prototype system is already in place. Drivers who are diabetic will wear a glucose monitor that is able to connect via Bluetooth to Ford SYNC systems. SYNC will then be able to warn the driver on center stack displays and with audible alerts when blood glucose levels drop or are abnormal.



Do you think drivers with these health problems will take advantage of this technology Ford is working to produce?

What else would you like to see Ford do to improve on the health and wellness of drivers?


Ford Health and Wellness Information

Ford Aging Population Information

Murphy Ford Lincoln's Website

2012 Ford Focus Electric Pilot Launch Markets

In our previous posts, we have talked about how Ford Motor Company plans to implement their electrification strategy for the future. Part of this plan involves the release of the 2012 Ford Focus Electric. This completely battery-powered vehicle will be released later this year. The Focus Electric will be introduced to 19 key markets in the pilot launch. These locations were chosen because of certain criteria such as:

-Zero emissions vehicle states
-Urban and heavy commuter areas
-High-household income markets
-Areas with government efforts that support the electrification infrastructure

The 19 pilot markets include Los Angeles, New York, Houston, and Washington, D.C. Below are all 19 areas chosen carefully by Ford.



The Ford Focus Electric is one of five cars that Ford Motor Company plans to have in its Electrified Vehicle line by 2012.

No Rain, No Problem. Doug demos 2012 Focus Rain Sensing Wipers. http://ping.fm/bm4iO

Ford 4th of July Sales Event at Murphy Ford Lincoln

Summer Driving Season is here and so is the Fourth of July Sales Event at Murphy Ford Lincoln.

Now through July 5th only, you can get into a brand new Ford with No Money Down, No Interest for Five Years, and No Payments until Fall.

Plus, right now get an extra $500 Fourth of July Bonus Cash on a great selection of our hottest selling models including the Ford Fusion and Ford Escape.



Visit our website or call us (610-494-8800) for more details and qualifications regarding this event!

What Does a Hybrid Vehicle Mean?

With Ford's electric plans for the future, I thought it would be a good idea to break down some terminology that you may have already heard and will be hearing about in the upcoming months. Many people are probably already familiar with the phrase “hybrid vehicles”, but may not really understand what that really means. Ford currently has three different categories of electric vehicles which are hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and all-electric.

Hybrid Vehicles:

- A Hybrid vehicle combines the power of a traditional gasoline engine with the efficiency of a battery-powered electric motor. This helps to improve fuel economy because the vehicle is using a smaller, more efficient gasoline motor because of the electric motor.
- The battery of the electric motor is powered by regenerative braking. What this means is that when a vehicle is braking, kinetic energy is generated and then converted into electricity. Regenerative braking “captures over 90% of braking energy normally lost to heat due to friction” (Ford).
- The battery is also powered by the gasoline engine.
- An example of this kind of vehicle is the Ford Fusion Hybrid

Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles:

- A Plug-In Hybrid vehicle is very similar to how a hybrid vehicle runs and is designed. What makes the plug-in different is that it has a larger battery than a hybrid, which can then by re-charged by plugging into a normal household current. A plug-in hybrid also has the same capabilities of a regular hybrid in that it has on-board charging capabilities from regenerative braking and from the gasoline engine.
- The plug-in hybrid has a “greater range in full electric mode than a full hybrid, which helps reduce fuel consumption” (Ford).
- An example of this vehicle will be the all new Ford C-Max Energi .

All-Electric Vehicles:

- An All-Electric vehicle does not have a gasoline engine and is solely battery powered by an electric motor.
- These vehicles have a high voltage lithium-ion battery pack and can be recharged in a household current. However, separate vehicle charging stations are available to enable a faster charge.
- An example of this vehicle will be the all new 2012 Ford Focus Electric . “The powertrain provides 100% CO2-free driving, and will give Focus Electric an mpg equivalent competitive with other electric vehicles in the market” (Ford).

Ford plans to have five electric vehicles in the market by 2012. These vehicles are the Ford Focus Electric, Ford C-Max Hybrid, Ford C-Max Energi, Ford Transit Connect Electric, and one other vehicle that has yet to be revealed.

Ford's C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi Triples Electric Vehicle Production Plans

Last week, Ford Motor Company announced their plans to manufacture more than 100,000 electric and hybrid vehicle models by 2013 for their North American markets, tripling their current production. The all new Ford C-Max, which was originally planned to be produced as gasoline engine as well as hybrid models, will now be solely produced as a hybrid. The C-Max, which was revealed at the 2011 Auto Show, was originally designed to hold seven passengers. With Ford’s new plans for this vehicle, the C-Max Hybrid will only have room for five. The C-Max is modeled after the new 2012 Ford Focus.

Along with the C-Max Hybrid, Ford also plans to release the C-Max Energi. The C-Max Energi is a plug-in hybrid. It features a “240-volt charging system, will be able to fully recharge faster than Chevy Volt and is being engineered to deliver more overall driving range than any other plug-in or extended range electric vehicle” (Ford). Both models of the C-Max are scheduled to be in production by 2012.

You may be wondering why Ford has decided to only produce electric versions of the C-Max when consumers are less willing to purchase more expensive vehicles. Ford will be able to keep prices competitive and possibly even lower than competitors such as the Chevrolet Volt or the Nissan Leaf. This is because Ford plans to design and engineer much of the hybrid’s system in house and in the U.S. “Ford said this year that it expects the cost of hybrid systems it begins offering next year will be 30 percent less expensive than the system that was introduced on the 2010 Ford Fusion .” Ford actually plans to have five “electrified” vehicles for North America by next year. These five vehicles include both models of the C-Max, the Transit Connect Electric, the Focus Electric (coming out later this year) and another vehicle that has not yet been announced.

The C-Max was actually first released in Europe in 2010. Ford states that the 2011 model is “leaving European dealer lots at twice the rate of last year’s model” (Ford). This makes Ford confident that the North American launch of both models will be a success.

What are your thoughts about the new C-Max Hybrid and Ford’s move to cancel production of models with a gasoline engine?








For more information about the C-Max Hybrid please visit

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