Ford Upgrades Bullet Proof Safety In Police Vehicles

Ford is improving the bullet proofing of its police cars to protect cops from being harmed by bullets.

Ford Motors Company said that upgraded security in doors of its police cruisers could protect cops from armor-piercing bullets. With higher levels of danger, assault or high-powered assaults with bullets through vehicles doors, officials of the American automaker told it is an enhancement that police have been seeking.

Police typically duck behind the doors of their vehicles during very risky traffic stops to use them as defenses. The automobile manufacturer is the leading police pursuit vehicle manufacturer. After leading its Crown Victoria sedan market, the carmaker successfully migrated numerous departments to its Ford Explorer SUV, which according to the company has been sold in large numbers.

Officials of the company stated for over 12 months, they’ve been trying to upgrade bullet proofing. It was achieved by developing dual layers of security, including a Kevlar-type material and ceramic tiles to stop bullet attacks. From engineering perspective, it was quite tricky. Not only doors have little room for more panels, but also the additional shield adds to the weight of the vehicle, stated an official of the organization, Randy Freiburger.

The doors of the vehicle were examined on machineries through over 100,000 slams to ensure that hinges will hold up. Officers of the Michigan State Police conducted a test of the added protection by firing at doors with powerful rifles. The objective was concerned with meeting what the Department of Justice has defined as IV protection: the capability to resist armor-piercing bullets of .30-caliber.

A former police lieutenant who was hit by bullets 15 times in a firing in 2012 said the shield is required. Ford has planned to begin receiving orders from police next week. Pricing has not been revealed. In other news, Wall Street Journal reported that sales of its new automobiles in the European region increased by 17% in February as the vehicle manufacturer keeps pivoting towards the rising demand for SUVs.

In all of its 50 European vehicle markets, Ford sold 104,500 automobiles throughout the month. It outpaced the growth of industry. The carmaker saw an increase in its market share by 0.4% to 7.3%. Inside its 20 major markets, it delivered 91,700 automobiles, an increase by 18% over 2015. It aimed to cease manufacturing some less-profitable models to concentrate on SUVs higher-profit vehicles to compete in the European region – an automobile market that has been loaded for a long period with overcapacity and price battles, the WSJ reported.

Ford aims to introduce many refreshed and new automobiles in 2016 like Edge SUVs and Kuga. 

Tesla Enjoys Extension In Indiana Bill With Direct Sale Model

Tesla can directly sell its luxury cars to its customers in Indiana for at least a year due to delay in bill.

Last week, Tesla was on the verge of suffering from a major setback when talks about a proposed bill, which would have rebuked Tesla’s license of “direct dealership” in Indiana, hit the streets. The luxury electric carmaker can now take a sigh of relief for as long as a year as the bill, which it accused General Motors for putting the pressure on the Senate, has been delayed for a year. Hence, at least for a year now, it can sell its premium electric cars directly to consumers.

For several years, the company has been under a lot of criticism and opposition relating to its practice of direct sales. More recently, General Motors, in collaboration with local auto dealers, took the lead in trying to influence the government for bringing about alterations in the legislation to deter the auto-tech titan to carry out its direct sales methodology.

In compliance with the existing law of Indiana, the sellers can sell electric vehicles directly to customers without the inclusion of any third-party dealerships. Had the amendment in the Indiana Senate bill been carried out, Tesla would have to be deprived of direct sales to customers. The bill would have been in effect from 30 months after the date of issue, which would tentatively have been by the end of 2017.

The bill, related to auto dealer regulations and licensing, is still under discussion. The bill itself does not hold much gravity for the direct sales methodology. While appreciating Indiana senators after they removed the language, Todd Maron, Tesla General Counsel, expressed, “Existing Indiana law supports free markets by providing a level playing field for all manufacturers.”

Although the license paves the way for the company to set up stores in the state, numerous auto dealers fear that the direct consumer sales model would allow the manufacturers to cut the auto dealers out of the sales process. Tesla earlier stated that a car could not be sold if maintenance and other services are not provided to the consumers, which auto dealers cannot provide. Nevertheless, the company has to gear up against the battle of rights between the local dealers and itself.

To express its point of view, GM said that it wants Tesla to come across the same regulations and restraints, which GM is going through pertaining to the inclusion of independent dealers during the sale process. According to state franchise laws, those manufacturers, who happen to have independent franchisees, are abstained from executing their manufacturer-owned stores.

GM said, “We will continue to work on this issue in Indiana and nationally and will continue to express our concern anywhere we find market participants are operating under different rules.”