Modern cars these days contain so much technology that manufacturers now have dedicated personnel and departments to deal with teaching and training up staff on the latest innovations that can be found in their cars.
The new Focus, which is due out in the next couple of months includes Torque Vectoring Control to balance engine torque between the driven wheels, digital radio (DAB), Bluetooth, USB connectivity and voice control of key features.
To ensure Ford service, sales and IT personnel are well versed and knowledgeable about the Focus technological innovations Ford has held a dealer technology conference; it was the first for Ford in the UK. This conference showcased all the technology in the Focus, explained industry trends and discussed up and coming features in new Ford models.
In attendance were over 130 new and used Ford London and national dealer managers and IT experts at Henry Ford College in Loughborough to meet automotive and consumer technology suppliers plus industry professionals such as Google and Microsoft.
Anthony Ireson, Ford UK dealer operations director, said: "Ford's first dealer technology conference proved a great success. The theatre presentations and supplier interaction were inspiring and very well received by our dealer network - enlightening many of them in the latest automotive and consumer technology."
One of the newest innovations for Ford is Ford SYNC, which is an easy-to-use in-car connectivity program that allows hands-free calls and control of music and other functions with simple voice commands.
Daniel Sumner, Microsoft platform developer who worked on the Ford SYNC project, said: "The future of relationships with customers revolves around trends including natural rather than forced interaction and the rise of social networking. As a result, information needs to be distributed via real-time, enjoyable experiences."