Ford Work Solutions for in truck productivity

Realizing that many truck owners use their vehicles as mobile offices, Ford on Wednesday stole a lot of the limelight at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show with a lineup of technologies for its F-Series trucks and E-Series vans that includes an industry-first in-dash computer.

The lineup is dubbed "Ford Work Solutions." The Dearborn automaker says it will roll out this fall on the 2009 F-150 XL, STX, XLT and FX4; the F-Series Super Duty XL, XLT and FX4; and all 2009 E-Series vans. The Transit Connect vans will get the technology in mid-2009.

Perhaps the most practical and long-awaited feature in the lineup is an in-dash computer that Ford says "allows customers to print invoices, check inventories and access documents stored on their home or office computer networks — right on the job site." The computer, which provides high-speed Internet access via the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, was developed with Magneti Marelli and is powered by Microsoft Auto. The computer is located in the vehicle's center stack, taking up the spot occupied by the standard radio. Details include a 6.5-inch high-resolution touchscreen, two gigabytes of memory, a secure digital slot for additional memory, a USB port and a wireless keyboard and mouse. Options include a battery-powered inkjet printer.

"We're not releasing pricing yet," Ford Spokesman Alan Hall told Inside Line. "But it [the in-dash computer] will be priced competitively versus today's navigation options, between $1,500 and $2,200. It will be a better value than that in terms of everything you get. It's within the price range of a current navigation system.

"This is a solution which will be popular with small business owners, skilled tradesmen and independent contractors," Hall said.

Ford also rolled out Tool Link, a radio-frequency identification asset tracking system developed with Dewalt and ThingMagic. This technology lets customers maintain a detailed real-time inventory of tools or equipment stored in the pickup bed. "That is a software application," said Hall. "It would not be a huge investment because you are not purchasing equipment."

Another software technology is Crew Chief, a fleet telematics and diagnostic system that lets small fleet owners manage their vehicles, dispatch workers to job sites and keep vehicle maintenance records. The fourth high-tech feature is a Cable Lock security system that discourages the theft of "expensive tools too large to fit in the cab." Cable Lock can also be "programmed to identify user-set alerts, such as unauthorized use of a vehicle or excessive idling."

What this means to you: Automakers have long preached that vehicle interiors are the "next frontier." Ford proves it's a pioneer by one-upping the competition, at least on the truck side. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent