Ford Green Driving Technology Event – One heck of an awesome ride

It’s been nearly two weeks since I headed to and returned from Michigan for Ford’s Green Driving Technology event and I’m still absorbing all that I saw and learned.  It was an amazing experience from the accommodations to the incredible innovations and I want to share some of my experience with you.   I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect when I received the invitation to attend the event.  I was certainly excited and curious and eager to see what Ford had to offer.  I definitely wasn’t disappointed.  From the time I touched down in Detroit to the time I left for the airport to come back home, I saw, heard, and experienced so much of what Ford has to offer.  After my short time spent with them and the 99 other bloggers from around the world, they are not just another automaker, they really are what America is all about.  One of the things that stuck out for me was during the press conference at the North American International Auto Show – NAIAS (yeah, say that five times fast.  Rolls right off the tongue, huh?).  Although, there were plenty of green and technological innovations to be impressed with, the announcement was made of Ford‘s plan to create more than 7,000 new jobs over the course of the next two years for American workers.  Simply put, I love this.  We all know this is a horrid economy right now, so the commitment to create thousands of jobs is impressive.
Then there’s the vehicles.  Not only does Ford manufacture gas powered fuel-efficient vehicles, but the new fleet of electrified vehicles is a green force to be reckoned with.  We were treated to this fun video starring Ed Begley, Jr.  that offers a wonderful explanation of the vehicles in the electrified line.  You really should check it out.  Sad to say, though, that Ed Begley, Jr. himself did not make an appearance.  Now that would have totally made my day.  In the video he talked about Ford’s Eco-boost engine and butterflies and wowed us (well he wowed me anyway) with talk of the new My Ford Mobile app for smartphones, which you can use to check the life of your battery and even charge the battery if needed.  From your phone. I actually got a demonstration of this cool technology while at the Ford blogger’s lounge within the NAIAS and I was simply blown away.
I truly wish I was more of a car person.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like a sharp looking vehicle and would most definitely feel a need for speed if I were behind the wheel of, say, a Mustang, but I simply don’t have the appreciation others probably do while walking the floor of an auto show.  That said, Ford owned that floor I walked on.  The vastness of their showcase at the NAIAS could be compared to the size of a football field and the interactivity for attendees was not even close to matched by other brands represented.  Also unmatched?  The blogger’s lounge set up especially for the 100 of us who were guests of Ford Motor Company.  We were kept fed, hydrated, educated and supplied with ample outlets for our laptops, iPads, cell phones, etc.  We had the pleasure of listening to environmental pioneer Stewart Brand followed by a question and answer session that many passers by would have loved to be a part of.
This event brought together a unique blend of bloggers from such diverse backgrounds and the fact that Ford gets the value of bloggers and what we have to offer is pretty darn impressive.  They wanted to hear from us.  They welcomed our questions.  They sat with us, talked with us, and even laughed with us and I’m pretty sure someone may have laughed at me.  Oh yeah, I’m totally calling them out……those people in the watch tower at the test track.  Okay, so I can’t remember what it’s really called, but they were watching and communicating with us and each other through walkie talkies.  In my defense, there was snow on the track so I was being cautious so as not to be the blogger who slips and slides and spins in a circle ending up sideways blocking everyone else and causing some sort of pile up at the Ford testing facility.  What?  It could totally happen.  And shut up about the fact that I’m from the Northeast and should feel comfortable driving in snow.
I’m from the Northeast and I avoid driving in the snow because I’m from the Northeast and I know the roads can get slippery in inclement weather.
So there I was thinking of the safety of the other three people in my vehicle (I’m very unselfish and thoughtful like that), driving along at a respectable pace, when I hear, well we all hear since everyone has a two-way radio in their vehicle, “we have a creeper.”  Now I know I was driving kind of slow, but it could have been someone else.  I immediately looked to my new friend, “V”(my shotgun rider) and she instantly says, without any hesitation, oh you are totally the creeper.  But I totally blame Ford or Mother Nature.  I mean, I was just looking out for everyone else with my chosen pace on the track.  I don’t really think there’s any need for name-calling, but I’m okay with it because guess what?  Not long after we were all pulled from the track due to potentially dangerous conditions because of the weather. So, yeah, thankyouverymuch, instead of creeper, I’d like to think of myself more as a forward thinker.  Also, a special message to the folks at Ford, bring me back in the summertime and I will totally show you who’s Boss.
This event not only gave me a glimpse of a real American brand, but also gave me the opportunity to meet some pretty awesome new friends, some of whom had really fancy cameras and took way better pictures than I did with my sadly technologically challenged phone.  Browse through some of the photos at the Ford Green Flikr stream.  The photos at the Detroit Institute of Art are pretty spectacular and gorgeous and not to be missed.  The Diego Rivera Gallery was filled with murals and rich with history of Ford Motor Company.  There’s so much I know I’d love to share and want to share and I will try to write another post, but for now just know that Ford “gets it” in so many ways.

Disclosure:  I was invited to participate in this program by Clever Girls Collective, Inc. in partnership with Ford and Ogilvy PR. Ford Motor Company paid for my travel and accommodations at the 2-day Driving Green Technology event, I was not compensated in any other manner for my time. My opinions posted here are my own.