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CB77
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(I saw a recent discussion here about some folks having a desire to see Honda delete CD players. Looks like Ford is thinking about it, too. Here is a recent statement by them.)
"To the average person, 5 pounds might not seem like a lot for a car that weighs 2,000 pounds or more, but for designers such as Ford's Michael Arbaugh, knowing when to eliminate something like a CD player is a critical decision - especially as automakers race to meet tougher fuel-economy standards.
They are in a race to eliminate as much weight from vehicles as possible in order to try to gain gas mileage.
For nearly 30 years, the government's fuel-economy standards did not change significantly. Now, by 2016, the U.S. fleet average for automakers must reach 34.1 miles per gallon, up from 27.5 mpg for passenger cars in 2010 and 23.5 mpg for light trucks. At the same time, automakers must also continue to meet stricter safety requirements and incorporate new communication technology to stay competitive.
Arbaugh is looking forward to the day when automotive designers get rid of CD players.
Doing so would eliminate about 5 pounds and would free up critical space on the center stack where technology is offering other choices, said Arbaugh, chief designer for Ford interiors.
Behind the interface, a CD player competes for space with heating and cooling units and other technology.
"That's oceanfront property when you are talking about the center stack," Arbaugh said. "I think anybody under 30 is probably using all MP3 devices. They don't buy CDs."
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DrWhiner
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What is this?
Where is the 'supposedly' 'better' idea?
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CB77
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It's a take-off on Ford's old "Ford has a Better Idea" advertising slogan...
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CB77
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Here's the ad...
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DrWhiner
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Ford has a better idea: facebook advertisement!
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dalebuss/2012/05/15/ford-thinks-it-has-better-idea-about-how-to-handle-facebook/
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according2kev
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Are they really doing this for weight or are they doing it because they are becoming redundant? I mean 5 pounds? I'm all for losing weight but if 5lbs is that important, I suppose we may start to loosing things such as power seats and such. Maybe even smaller washer fluid reservoirs and fuel tanks. I wouldn't be surprised if in the future we have to start paying extra for a spare tire like automakers are doing with hybrids.
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