Last week I had pleasure of visiting a part of our American History, I went to Detroit Michigan, home of the Ford Motor Company. I felt very patriotic after I watched The Rouge Factory’s history and seeing just how far this family owned company has come into the 21st century. I was there to be apart of Ford’s Safety Driving School and the launch of Curve Control. (I had to wonder if they heard about my lead foot and recent parking violations?)
I started my day touring the Rouge Factory and watching the New F-150 Trucks being built. The factory was extremly clean and organized, it even smelt good..? Not sure what I was picturing but this assembly line looks to be perfected. We saw seatbelts being installed, windshields, steering wheels and those very important cup holders. And in case you were wondering like I was, it takes about 40 hours to bulid one vehicle.
Ford is also dedicated to sustainability and has the largest living roof in the world. This living roof allows for clearer storm water, cooler suroundings, cleaner air quality and is a habitat for birds, butterflies and insects. You can read more about Ford’s commitment to being Eco-Savvy and their Top 10 Green Initiatives here.
The most important part of this Program was Safety and to demonstrate one of Ford’s newest safety features Curve Control. I was put inside the New 2011 Ford Explorer with a helmet and taken down the Ford test track going 55 mph around a curve.
- Curve Control is designed to help drivers maintain control of their vehicle when taking a curve too quickly, a situation found to contribute to approximately 50,000 crashes on curves each year in the U.S. alone
- Curve Control senses when a vehicle is entering a curve too quickly, and can apply four-wheel smart braking to reduce vehicle speed by up to 10 mph in approximately one second and help drivers follow their intended path
Another interesting safety feature are the first ever Inflatable Seatbelts. These were developed for the safety of children and older passengers (grandma & grandpa) in the back seat. I thought these were pretty impressive, the seat belt deploys airbags right against the persons chest to help prevent neck, chest, and head injuries from a crash.
Yes, we got to meet the Test Drive Dummies, although they didn’t have mush to say. I was also able to get inside a virtual world and drive a car down a virtual track while they observed my driving and reaction times.
Another big part of our day was spent learning about the proper installation of Car Seats, which about 80% are installed incorrectly! We we’re quizzed and sadly we got many of the questions wrong. Car Seats have an expiration date…who knew? I was shocked by how little I knew about installing a car seat. I naively left that to my husband and just assumed it was easy and he installed them properly. I also realized we put our son in a booster seat way too early. You can find a Car Seat Safety inspection location in your area by going to The National Highway Traffic Safety Adinistration (NHTSA) website and simply put in your state and zipcode.
I always thought of Ford as just a truck Company, and a brand for my Dad. After visiting Detroit Michigan and gaining more insight to the company, the history and the latest innovations I can honestly say I look at Ford a little differently now. Ford is clearly pretty Savvy when it comes to Family, Safety, Technology and helping to keep our planet green for future families to come. So the only question I have is: Can Ford be Sassy? Over the next two weeks I’ll be driving the New Ford Flex and posting about my driving experience and honest opinions and I hope you’ll come along for the ride!
What do you think about the New Ford Flex?
Do you think it looks Sassy or Silly?
Have you ever owned a Ford?
Disclosure: I will be given the Ford Flex to Test drive for two weeks. That is all, I am not required to do anything other than test drive the vehicle.
Comments
I DONT KNOW IF IT’S SASSY OR SILLY???? I JUST WANT IT SAFE FOR YOU!!!
I think it’s great that you get to test drive this baby. I think it looks more savvy than sassy, but Moms don’t need to drive their kids in cute cars. They need safe cars.
I’m really glad you shared about a company that is still part of the free enterprise system. Long may they prosper!
Looks like a teenagers ride.
I love Ford. We are a Ford family. First car was a Bronco II, 3rd car was an explorer…a few cars in between and now I drive an Expedition EL. Loved the Curve Control and Inflatable Seatbelt facts…mine doesn’t have obviously, but great to know they are working on that! I drove a Flex in Dallas on a trip. Very roomy on the interior, not what you would expect at all! And so true about carseats. We’ve had a car seat installer come to our house with each new babe. You can gather up your friends and pay a small fee, the installers come to your house and show you how to install properly (as opposed to just checking it). Loved it and feel so much more safe!!
Is the first comment by your mom? That sounds about like something my mom would post on my site! Sounds like you had a great time test-driving those cars! Did they let you try to text & drive to see what the effects would be? I can’t wait to see you in just a couple of days & here more about it in-person!
Thank you for the great article – I found your experiences with the Ford factory really interesting; I definitely didn’t know about their living roof! The new Ford Flex reminds me of drawings little children do of cars – so square! But it does have a its positive points.
Thats great that you got to get such an insider’s view of the factory and safety that goes along with it; something we all need to think about.
ever since i saw the ford flex at the texas state fair in ’08, it has been my dream car. i absolutely love it!
Pingback: Ford Flex Test Drive | Savvy Sassy Moms