Ford Reducing Factory Emissions and Using Robots to Test Cars

FordFordUnited States of America, 1903 > present92 models
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has released its annual stability report and announced that it has reduced its factories' CO2 emissions by 37% between 2000 and 2012, and it plans to reduce factory emissions by a further 30% by 2025 compared to 2010 levels. It is also developing new vehicles testing technologies like robots that can stress test cars for hours at a time. 

Highlights of the report include that Ford's vehicle emissions have been reduced 16% since 2007. It reduced waste that would usually go to landfills by 19% between 2011 and 2012. Its factories water use has been reduced by 62% between 2000 and 2012.

In the next five years, Ford has set a goal of using 25% less energy to produce each vehicle.

“Water and energy use, waste-to-landfill, Ford’s role in reducing the amount of greenhouse gases like CO2 in our atmosphere – these are just a few of the top sustainability-related priorities considered in every decision,” said Robert Brown, Ford's head of sustainability.

Ford's strategies for lowering CO2 for its vehicles has been to create smaller displacement turbocharged engines and electrified cars. Its current range has six electrified cars and more are coming soon. 

At the same time, Ford is developing new technology for vehicle testing including the first cars ever to be test driven by robots. Ford trucks are now being stressed tested by robots at its Michigan Proving Grounds.

It is normal for Ford's trucks and commercial vans to be driven for thousands of hours in their lifetimes. For these vehicles, Ford does extensive human testing, but the new robots have made that much easier. Engineers program a route around the proving grounds' test track and the van follows it for hours at a time. 

Engineers can take command from at central control room if needed, and the van will stop automatically if a pedestrian or vehicle gets in the way.

“The goal here was not to develop a truly autonomous vehicle that can drive itself on city streets. Our objective was to create a test track solution that allows for this type of intense testing that could take our vehicles to the most extreme limits of their engineering while ensuring the safety of all involved,” said Dave Payne, the Transit's development manager.