So, your teenager has passed his or her driving test. Congratulations! And now they want to share your car! Out of the question! As proud as you are of them, there’s no way you’re letting them get behind the wheel of your trusty automobile. It’s time for them to learn the responsibility of maintaining their own car. But where to begin? Here are the 10 most popular cars to give teen drivers.   1. Audi A3 CarInsurance.com rated the Audi A3 the top choice for young drivers for two straight years. The long-term reliability, safety ratings, fuel consumption and insurance costs offset the fairly…

Technology is changing the way that everything happens in business. How we work, where we work, even why we work has been enhanced by the amazing rate of technological advancements over the last few years. Working today is very different from the way most of us worked 5 years ago and 5 years from now things will be even more divergent from what we see now. That’s the premise behind this interview as Ford’s Scott Monty discusses with Rypple about the way the future of work will go from his perspective. Ford has been a trendsetter in the automotive industry when it comes to social adaption in their communication…

The recent Frankfurt Motor Show played host to some innovative new concept cars featuring eco-friendly powertrains and advanced in-vehicle communications. And among the advanced concepts on display was Ford’s first foray into the world of bicycling. The E-Bike Concept demonstrates how Ford’s automotive design language can translate to a bicycle. The bike’s frame is made from aluminum and carbon fiber and weighs just 5.5 pounds. It also features a carbon fiber Giant SLR stem, Selle Italia SLR XC saddle, Mavic Elipse wheels, Shimano Alfine 11-speed internal gear hub and Shimano Rapidfire…

Japan and the US are teaming up with two automotive powerhouses announcing a deal today to develop new hybrid systems and telematics standards. The joint venture will put Ford and Toyota as equal partners to accelerate bringing advanced hybrid systems to market. They will also be working towards next-generation standards, bringing the automotive industry in line with internet and GPS-based technologies. The hybrid systems will be developed specifically for light trucks and SUVs, a market that is currently behind the smaller-vehicle market currently dominated by the Toyota Prius. While…

Ford has an innovative solution to reduce car accidents and curb congestion. Combining technologies like WiFi, GPS, and radar-based safety features, vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems can be used to create intelligent vehicles that wirelessly “talk” to each other and warn of possible hazards. “Intelligent vehicles are the next frontier of collision avoidance innovations that could revolutionize the driving experience and hold the potential of helping reduce many crashes,” said Sue Cischke, group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering….

After teaming up with Mitsubishi and Eaton Corporation, it was clear that Best Buy wanted to be the go-to destination for all tech related to electric vehicles. Already the electronics giant has committed itself to selling electric motorcycles and offering EV charging stations at its stores. Now, the automaker has announced it will sell 240-volt charging stations for the upcoming Ford Focus Electric EV. “As more people gravitate toward electric-powered transportation, home energy management becomes an important consideration, and Best Buy intends to be actively engaged in providing…

Infotainment has become an important area of research and development in the automotive industry. Many consumers want it, but most automakers are still playing catch-up. Ford and Microsoft introduced SYNC nearly four years ago and other automakers are still lagging behind this system in terms of features and availability. Ford will soon offer SYNC throughout its lineup, and already the system has been installed on more than 3 million vehicles….

Remember when your parents always reminded you to turn off the lights when you were not using them? Seems logical enough, right? It helps the world and saves on the energy bill. But Ford must slept through that childhood, because the company has only recently become aware that they could save over a million dollars simply by shutting down their computers at night. Insane, right? Yes, our beloved American automaker is reporting that it plans to shut down or utilize power management functionality already built into computers and laptops to save the company an astounding $1.2 million per year. Could…