It’s no secret that in recent years, Ford has faced its fair share of quality issues, which have prompted the automaker to take action in various ways to rectify that problem. Aside from adding external talent to its executive team, Ford has made initial quality its first progress metric, established seven key focus areas, implemented a series of changes to its processes, and is also using some pretty high-tech methods to test vehicles before they enter production, though even CEO Jim Farley admits that improving quality will take years. At the same time, Ford is shifting its focus to improving the post-purchase experience overall – which we recently saw with the all-new 2024 Ford Mustang and its many track-based offerings. Now, those two things have come together once again in a new series called “Smart as Ford.”
As Ford notes, its reputation for quality has taken a hit in recent times, but amid all of this negativity, there are many instances where that isn’t the case. Thus, “Smart as Ford” is designed to celebrate the automaker’s employees and highlight their focus on delivering quality products and experiences to customers, as well as demonstrate the company’s commitment to quality in a way that stakeholders and customers can understand and appreciate.
That campaign kicks off with two new videos, seen here – which are titled “Tough Seats” and “Screen Slam.” The first shows off how Ford tests its truck seats for long-term durability by literally smashing them with a robot, which is designed to mimic the way customers get in and out of those vehicles. The automaker simulates that process 51,000 times during this process – which equates to roughly 10 years of regular use.
Meanwhile, “Screen Slam” demonstrates how the 15.5-inch infotainment screen in the Ford Mustang Mach-E was designed to take a considerable amount of abuse without cracking as well. To achieve that, Ford engineers used a special application of Dragontrail glass to ensure its durability, which sits on top of a high-strength magnesium mounting that is able to withstand being pulled or bumped.
We’ll have more on this new series soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
So eventually we’ll have a vehicle that we can sit in, watch the infotainment screen but not be able to drive because of all the mechanical/electrical issues that are being over looked during assembly
Quit spending large amount of money trying to convince you have any form of quality. If quality was a real priority it wouldn’t take years to fix. Farley needs to GO