Ford pushes to Expand its Smart Mobility Plan; unveils new Kuga

Ford has announced that SYNC 3 connectivity technology will be launched in Europe by the end of this year. This comes at a time when the American company is trying hard to expand its Ford Smart Mobility plan as well as is aiming at a transition from an automotive company to an auto and a mobility company.

Attending the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Mr. Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO, said, “As we look to the future, it is clear we are on the cusp of a revolution in mobility – from car sharing to autonomous driving to the customer experience. Technology and innovation provide us with the opportunity to address these trends and to make people’s lives better by changing the way the world moves.”

He also added that the company will triple its engineering investment in driver assist technology, speeding the roll-out of semi€‘automated systems which makes it easier to park and drive in heavy traffic. Ford is likely to confirm the ‘FordPass’ in near future. FordPass is carmaker’s new customer platform where it partners with various firms to give the consumers an elite experience.

The carmaker expects to launch features like Traffic Jam Assist and Fully Active Park Assist within three years. “The use of semi-autonomous functions such as Traffic Jam Assist and Fully Active Park Assist make driving easier and more enjoyable for our customers,” said Mr. Ken Washington, vice president, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering. “We are committed to making autonomous vehicles available for millions of people. Within well-defined areas and with favourable environmental conditions, we predict that fully autonomous driving will be possible within four years, and that autonomous vehicles will play a significant role in making travel safer, more enjoyable, and more accessible,” he further added.

The automaker also revealed its SUV, the new Kuga. The car runs on 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine, but gets more focus on various autonomous features. The attributes include Ford’s Perpendicular Parking technology which helps the driver in hands€‘free parking and Active City Stop collision avoidance system. Apart from this, new-Kuga is also equipped with Ford’s Adaptive Front Lighting System for better visibility.

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