Drive Safe, Says Ford

<p>Teens are no doubt going to want to jump right into the Figo Aspire and make off with it, but if they’re aiming to zip around unchecked into the crowded streets of India’s cities, they can think again. The keys to this snazzy beauty can be programmed to set a speed limit and any attempt to rev up beyond that just won’t work. “MyKey” as this feature is called, is one of the features Ford is putting in to encourage safe driving in India. The volume of the in-car music system will also be restricted so that the tendency to drive with pounding dangerously loud music is also controlled. Less fun for some — but safer for everyone.<br><br>That’s one of the smart tech features in Ford’s new Figo Aspire which will be launched sometime close to August. Ford won’t let us in on the price just yet, but the various models are estimated to cost between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 8 lakh. It’s in the same segment as the Swift Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Tata Zest and Honda Amaze. The Figo Aspire is the first Ford to be manufactured out of the American car maker’s Gujarat plant, so yes, a “Make in India” product. It’s the first of three new products Ford plans to launch in India over the next twelve months.<br><br>This sub four-meter compact sedan has managed to merge style with economy rather well. Best in plush red, it has an Aston Martin style grill and long swept-back headlamps. The styling, unlike so many other cars, isn’t squat and stolid but streamlined, giving a look of momentum. There are echoes of the Ford Fiesta and popular Ecosport here and there and overall, it’s not a departure in design but very much unmistakably Ford. The interiors are sporty, leathery and rich with enough headroom and legroom though squeezing in more passengers will be uncomfortable.<br><br><img alt="" src="http://bw-image.s3.amazonaws.com/Figo-Aspire2_new-lrg.jpg" style="width: 640px; height: 300px;"><br><br>Other safety features include warnings on the seat belt not being on, but unlike other cars that do the same, the Figo Aspire has an additional surprise up its sleeve: you won’t be able to play the music unless the seat belt is on. This way, those who ignore warning beeps and get used to them, the withholding of music should be enough encouragement to belt up. The car has six air bags and their deployment in case of an accident will call for emergency help, using the phone. There are also smart warnings on fuel level, with enough time to act on the alert.<br><br>Built into the familiar dashboard are controls for a smartphone and music system. MyFord Dock lets you dock your phone (no matter which one, Ford says) and charge it or use it to connect to the entertainment console or use apps in a more safe way, using voice controls. A button on the steering triggers openness to voice commands. Once paired with Bluetooth (no NFC yet), Ford’s SYNC AppLink will let you make calls, control the music and navigate using MapMyIndia maps. You can also get cricket scores via CricInfo. Ford is keen for developers to create apps to use in-car with AppLink and is talking with other partners to enable more apps. Food apps, flight info and other useful apps would make sense in a car like this, but partnerships are not finalised yet. The idea is to reduce distracted driving and drivers looking down at their phones and get them focused on the road more.<br><br><img alt="" src="http://bw-image.s3.amazonaws.com/Figo-Aspire_new-lrg.jpg" style="width: 640px; height: 392px;"><br><br>The connectivity for the tech you will use in-car is borrowed from your smartphone, so you will need a healthy cellular network. Up to ten devices can be paired, in case several people happen to be using the car at different times.<br><br>The Ford Figo Aspire will come with two engine variants: a 1.2-litre TiVCT petrol and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel. Both will work with a 5-speed manual gearbox. There are electronically adjustable ORVMs.<br><br>Bookings have begun for the Ford Figo Aspire, but whether this entry level sedan will be as popular as the Ecosport or even the Figo, we’ll only know over the coming months. The tech features are a beginning, but old habits die hard and we’ll see whether drivers stop glancing at their devices for navigation and communication and change to using the phone while it’s docked into the car’s system instead. Either way, of course, the in-car Wi-Fi comes from the phone. It’s also interesting to see how smartphone-dependent new cars are going to be, going forward.<br><br>(This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 13-07-2015)</p>