Ford

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Ford

Basic information
Founded	1903
Legal Structure	Public
Industry	Automotive
Official website	https://ford.com/

The Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 by Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan. With the introduction of a moving assembly line, Ford drastically reduced the cost and time of automobile production, making cars affordable for the masses and transforming industrial production globally. It is one of the oldest and largest automobile manufacturers, one of the "Big Three" American automakers, alongside General Motors (GM) and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler).

Consumer protection summary

Privacy

• Collects sensitive personal information from multiple sources, including data from the vehicle itself, data from the connected mobile app, and data obtained during the vehicle's purchase.
• Data collected includes purchase history, financial information, coarse and precise location data, contact information, identifiers (e.g., VIN, account ID), user-generated content (e.g., voice recordings from smart features), search and browsing history for advertising purposes, usage data, sensitive information (under "Inferences"), diagnostics, and more.
• Aggregates data from external sources as well, including users' social media posts.
• Privacy policy is designed to prevent quickly searching for important terms.
• It is unclear how long data is retained.
• According to CCPA Metrics from 2023, there were 96 requests for data to be deleted, and 7 of these requests were denied.

Anti-consumer practices

Patents regarding consumer data

They have secured patents for systems that are unrelated to core driving functions and involve consumer data collection. One patented system can deliver targeted advertisements based on in-vehicle conversations, while another relates to vehicle repossession and allows for access restrictions (e.g., in cases of missed payments). Ford has clarified that holding these patents does not necessarily mean they will be implemented in future products. However, the existence of such systems could influence consumer perceptions of the company and affect their willingness to accept certain sales terms..

Engineering practices

Some engine designs use a rubber belt—rather than a metal chain—to drive the oil pump. This belt operates submerged in engine oil and may wear out prematurely, potentially leading to a sudden loss of oil pressure. Additionally, they have released transmission systems in certain Fiesta and Focus models that have experienced issues, including loss of power during acceleration, gear shifting, or at constant speeds, as well as unintended acceleration. It has been reported that a software update rendered a vehicle inoperable.

Ford has had the highest number of vehicle recalls in the U.S. in 2021, 2022, and 2023. While recall volume can be influenced by market share, larger automakers often have more recalls, it may also reflect differences in production quality compared to competitors.