Ford Is Testing Ways For Autonomous Vehicles To Communicate With Pedestrians in Urban Settings like Downtown Grand Rapids

Borgman Ford knows that many West Michigan drivers are at least curious about autonomous vehicles and the progress Ford is making toward bringing them to market. As these vehicles undergo more and more testing, we start to unearth some problems. Some of them are software bugs or mechanical flaws, and those are relatively easy to correct over time. It’s the social hurdles that will prove more difficult to overcome.

If you’ve ever driven through downtown Grand Rapids, you know exactly how important it is to communicate with pedestrians or other drivers – even non-verbally. The head-nod, the wave, or even just eye contact can signal a driver’s intent to others around them. How will autonomous vehicles do the same? Ford and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute are currently testing a solution: a series of lights mounted behind the windshield that flashes three easily-recognizable patterns to people around the vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »

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What is included in every service plan:

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Ford ESP PowertrainCare is the foundation for all new vehicle component plans. If you want the advantages of a Ford extended warranty but only want major mechanical component protection due to budget or other reasons, this is the plan for you. 29 vital components covered for New and Used vehicles.

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The team at Borgman Ford was touched — like those worldwide who’d come across the viral social media grassroots campaign — by the story of James Robertson, the Detroit man who walks 21 miles to and from work every day and has been doing so for 10 years. In particular, we loved Robertson’s reaction when he received a new Ford Taurus after a GoFundMe campaign collected more than $300,000 to support the 56-year-old man with the undefeated attendance and work-ethic.

“The reason I picked the Taurus, I remember the old Taurus from the 1980s,” Robertson said. “They never were this fancy or anything, but like me they have a strong heart from the inside.”

Gotta love the guy. Kudos to Robertson, and the young Wayne State student, Evan Leedy, who started the crowd sourcing fund. It’s nice to see social media used to make a difference! Read or watch the full story at MyFoxDetroit.com.

WE’RE SORRY – THIS PROMOTION HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE CHECK OUT THIS MONTH’S  GREAT SERVICE SPECIALS AT BORGMAN FORD MAZDA’S SERVICE CENTER.

Stop by Borgman Ford Mazda today for all of your service needs!

Expires 11/30/2010.

THIS PROMOTION IS EXPIRED BUT CHECK OUT OUR GREAT SERVICE DEALS AT BORGMAN FORD MAZDA’S SERVICE CENTER.

Do you need your oil changed? Come into Borgman Ford to get $10.00 off your next change, courtesy of our Service Department! Also, in observance of Veterans’ Day, the service department will be giving out free hats. Stop by Borgman Ford Mazda today for all of your service needs!

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Audrey TeBos not only got a “new best friend” when she purchased her Ford Focus SE last month…to her surprise she also received a nest egg to help launch her career.

At first, the recent Grand Valley State University graduate  thought the multiple messages from Borgman Ford’s Matt Cameron were an unusually enthusiastic  follow-up to her recent purchase. But when she found out that in fact she’d won $5,000 in Borgman’s Cash Giveaway, to say she was shocked would be an understatement.

“I couldn’t believe it. I had to pinch myself. In fact, I still can hardly believe it,”  the 24-year-old said Friday when she visited the dealership to pick up her check.

The cash couldn’t come at a better time for Audrey. As a GVSU graduate who majored in Sports Management, she’s on a countrywide search for the perfect job to launch her career in collegiate athletics.

“I may have to to move for employment purposes, so this will help make for a very good start,” she said.

The team at Borgman is delighted that the Cash Giveaway winner turned out to be a young graduate starting out, and that the money will help launch her job search and ultimate career move.

“This is just like watching someone open a great gift on Christmas morning,” said Matt Borgman, General Manager, after meeting with Audrey to deliver her check.

Audrey’s brother, Chris, has other ideas about what she should do with her winfall, centering around gift-giving. He’d like a PS4 in his stocking. However, Audrey thinks sister-Santa may not be squandering her new-found nest-egg on games when things like rent and relocation loom.

Setting aside our age old ‘Sparty vs. Wolverines rivalry, the team at Borgman Ford is geeked about a new battery lab Ford is opening in partnership with the University of Michigan. According to Ford, the purpose of the lab is to “change the world” — but we say CHARGE the world — of battery powered vehicles, that is!

The lab will help develop smaller and lighter batteries that are less expensive to produce. It’s a joint effort between Ford, the University of Michigan, battery suppliers and state and federal governments, as well as investors such as Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the U.S. Department of Energy. What could also potentially come out of this collaboration is the ability to produce more efficient and affordable battery-powered vehicles, and ones that could go farther on a single charge.

The other cool thing about this effort is it’s putting Michigan at the heart of battery research, not just battery production. Ford has a rich history in battery research, to the tune of 20 years. And now, it can also test experimental battery concepts on a small scale. It may be hard to believe, but battery research is still in its youth years.

“We have battery labs that test and validate production-ready batteries, but that is too late in the development process for us to get our first look,” said Ted Miller, who manages battery research for Ford. “This lab will give us a stepping-stone between the research lab and the production environment, and a chance to have input much earlier in the development process. This is sorely needed, and no one else in the auto industry has anything like it.”

The Ford electrified vehicle lineup features the Focus Electric, Fusion Energi Plug-in Hybrid and C-MAX Energi Plug-in Hybrid.

At Borgman Ford, we’re excited to announce that our manufacturer is being featured in Fast Company’s annual Most Innovative Companies issue. The magazine, which hit the stands today, honors leading businesses, including Apple, Amazon, Google and Target along with such rising newcomers as Square, Fab and Tumblr. Ford Motor Company is the only full-line automaker named to the 2013 list. Nike ranks No. 1 following the release of two major innovations, FuelBand and Flyknit technology.

Fast Company editors highlighted an array of recent efforts by Ford, including the opening of a Silicon Valley Lab in Palo Alto, Calif. in June 2012 where Ford engineers can collaborate with some of the best and brightest technology minds.

Among the innovative features already available in Ford vehicles, the award-winning SYNC® connectivity system enables drivers to stay connected with the latest mobile technology using voice commands so that hands can stay on the wheel and eyes on the road. The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion offers one of the industry’s most complete suites of advanced driver assist systems, including adaptive cruise control and the Lane Keeping System all in an affordable midsize family sedan. Ford researchers are also hard at work on future systems including a driver workload estimator to help drivers manage stressful situations on the road. Read the rest of this entry »

Want to know how Ford is making its vehicles greener? How about what future technology is currently in the works? Or what new Ford vehicles will be taking to the roads this year?

Well, now’s your chance to ask!

We’re sending some Ford Social citizen journalists to Ford HQ and behind the scenes at the 2013 North American International Auto Show (Jan. 19 – 26). They’ll be talking to experts and getting their hands on some of the latest technology. Think of them as your line of communication to the bigwigs at Ford—getting an insider point of view that they’ll soon be sharing with everyone at Ford Social. Including you.

Here’s the thing: We want you to choose the assignments! So if there’s anything you’ve been dying to know, something you have a passing interest in, and whatever falls in between—ask away. We’ll be assigning questions from the community to our citizen journalists to investigate while they’re in Detroit and Dearborn.

So maybe you want to know more about how Ford uses sustainable materials in its vehicles? Or about what goes on behind-the-scenes to develop the latest safety features?

Tell us what you want to know—big or small, car or truck, innovation or history. Just post your questions in the comments below! And if you’d like to be a Citizen Journalist too, signup here.

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