nsteblay

MyFord Touch current configuration ... For hardware MyFord Touch uses a Freescale i.MX51 SOC with a single-core ARM Cortex A8 processor running at 600MHz. Then 512MB of RAM and 2GB of flash memory round out the hardware. As for background software, SYNC is built on Microsoft's Windows Automotive, which in turn is based on Windows CE. Tom's Hardware has a good detailed article on the hardware platform for MyFord touch ... http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ford-focus-infotainment-sync-myford,3206-2.html QNX has an article saying they support the ARM Cortex-A8 processor in MyFord touch ... http://www.qnx.com/news/pr_3895_1.html It is conceivable that the C-Max could run a new version of MyFord Touch based on QNX unless there is something proprietary they did to support Windows Automotive CE. The question is will they develop for this older hardware platform or go with something new and leave the old MyFord Touch systems in the dust. My sense is they went with a standard platform using the Freescale i.MX51 SOC and should be able to easily compile a branch for the older hardware.

I've never tried to connect to a WIFI access point. I have used the CMax as an access point within the car to share my iPad's internet connection with others in the car.

Just got 50.4 MPG on my 21 mile commute from work to home today. 40F today. The CMax is a great commuter car. Just needs weather above freezing to get good mileage.

OK Minnesota has warmed up the last few day. My 21 mile commute from work to home in +40F weather - 49.3 MPG Tuesday, 50.4 MPG Wednesday. It's just amazing the difference temperature makes. It shows how important it is to get into EV mode to get mileage with the CMax.

I live in Minnesota - coldest winter in last 14 years. I was getting 47+ in summer / fall. When the temps bottomed out (10 - 25 below zero) I was getting 31-33. It was a bit warmer today (mid 20's) and got 41.7 on the 21 mile ride home from work. I refuse to turn the heat off (for obvious reasons). C-Max is dependent on EV for good mileage - just can't happen when it's so cold. I suppose I could do something with the grille to improve results. I'm hesitant to make any structural changes to the car.

I have driven both the C-Max and Prius. I consider all attributes of the car when comparing it to the Prius: comfort, visibility, acceleration and handling, aesthetics, and US built. Acceleration, visibility and comfort aside the Prius doesn't require driving technique to get consistent mileage results. The C-Max by the way it is architected has a high degree of variability in mileage results dependent on environment and driving technique. If environment and technique are normalized mileage is probably aligned with CR's tests. What I've found is if I apply minimal technique during warm weather I can surpass the 47 MPG easily. In cold weather and with the heater on there is no way to reach the EPA estimates. I am not sure how they manage driving technique when performing mileage tests. This is likely a source in the discrepancy. In my first year (10/12 - 10/13) I averaged just over 40 MPG for lifetime mileage. I saw a large jump (3 to 4 MPG) in trip mileage after the upgrade that was significant. This has been a brutal winter so far but I am still anticipating making the 43 MPG average over my first 2 years. This week I drove to work with the temperature at -18 F. I got 33 MPG. The C-Max depends on getting into EV mode to raise the MPG. When it is that cold and the heater is on the gas engine runs constantly, hence, the low mileage. I'll probably average about 37 MPG over the winter and 45-47 MPG over the spring/summer/fall. Air conditioning in the summer doesn't impact my mileage much. The technique I apply is punch and glide. It is important to drive like your driving a bicycle - learning to "coast" when you can to save on gas. This is easily achieved by letting up on the gas briefly to get in EV mode. I also need to pay some attention to the instrument panel. This becomes second nature after some practice. I understand that this neccesity is irritating and unacceptable to some drivers. My experience is the Toyotas don't require applying driving technique. What I've found you sacrifice is potential acceleration, comfort and visibility. If your really looking only at MPG you should probably buy a Toyota. I've been very pleased with the C-Max. It's sporty enough for my freeway driving, comfortable for my kids and family, and provides awesome visibility that I consider a major safety feature.

I live in Minnesota and we've had our share of cold days this winter. I was easily getting 47 MPG in the summer and fall. Since the cold weather has hit my mileage has dropped significantly. I do believe it is better than last year mostly because the threshold for EV was raised to 80 MPH. Good mileage is strictly a function of the amount of time spent in EV mode. If I turn the heater off I can get much better mileage. If I want to stay warm I have to burn more gas. Here is what I've been experiencing: (My commute is 21 miles 70% congested freeway and 30% side roads) -23F (yes it was that cold) I was barely getting 30 MPG -10F I am getting about 33 MPG 0F I am getting somewhere around 35-36 MPG + 32F I start to get into the 40's Again, I could do better if I turn the heater off but I'm not going to :nonono:. The heated seats are awesome. Right now my lifetime average is 39.4 MPG (18K) - it will drop a bit more this winter. By next October which will be 2 years I think I'll be at 43 MPG lifetime - even in cold Minnesota! Love the car. Some of the plastic on the side internal door pillars is warping. At some point I'll bring it in to get it fixed. The My Touch system has been much better since the upgrades but is still problematic at times. Nick

Has anyone experienced the plastic trim on the internal of the C-Max warping and coming loose. I have several areas in the car where the plastic is pulling away from the doors, car pillars, and overhead panel. Its weird that it is happening in so many spots and all at the same time. I'll take some pictures and post tomorrow.

Bought a guitar. I'm taking classical lessons with my daughter.

I got 57.7 MPG on my ride home from work today and 58+ earlier in the week! This car is totally geared toward a commuter. It absolutely excels in congested freeway traffic. I'm averaging 47.8 MPG my last 1,500 miles. I don't know, my personal opinion is my CMax is 47/47/47 right now. It does take some discipline when driving yet I am not compromising my speed on the highway. The car has taught me how to drive efficiently and is second nature now. I've had the car for a year this October and am very happy with it. I also have a Honda CR-V but prefer driving the CMax. The big difference for me in comparison to the Toyota is the style and comfort. I have two daughters and when my wife and kids take trips the drive is very comfortable for everyone. It has a small SUV feel - your up much higher than the Prius, the headroom is fantastic, and the visibility is great. I think the car styling is much better than any of the Prius line. I do think it will take a big hit when it gets cold here in Minnesota. I am hoping that I can maintain an average above 40 over the winter. Really curious how the upgrade will impact the cold weather mileage. In the deep freeze last year I was only getting 33-34 MPG. I understand how to drive it much better now and am expecting better results.

My brother in law has a mint condition 1969 Boss 302. He bought it new when he was in his teens. Just recently refinished it with "original parts" - quite the expensive endeavor. He won't let me drive it. In return I won't let him drive my C-Max.

Just got my check this past week. Also got 58 MPG on my ride home from work today - 21 miles of freeway driving with congestion. I'm averaging about 47.6 MPG this spring, summer and early fall - much better since the upgrade. MFT is working great. Car handles great, very comfortable. Felt like I got a good price when I bought it and now Ford sends me $550. The C-Max has turned out to be everything I expected - I have no complaints. Rented a Prius a few months back. Nicely engineered car that gets great mileage but not near the ride and power I get with my C-Max. I'm very happy with my choice to go with Ford. I was messing around on my drive into work today. I've been applying P&G to get the good mileage. This morning I decided to see if I could get the car into Negative Split Mode for an extended period. I used the Empower Display and made sure I stayed above the threshold so that the ICE ran constantly and the battery charged to full. The car then kicked into Negative Split Mode and I was getting 40 plus MPG in the instant MPG readout. When I hit traffic that caused me to slow down EV kicked in. I ended up getting 47.8 MPG on my drive to work. I am curious what I'll see as it gets colder. According to the specs on the upgrade some changes were made to improve mileage in the cold. Curious as to what those were.

Just got my check this past week. Also got 58 MPG on my ride home from work today - 21 miles of freeway driving with congestion. I'm averaging about 47.6 MPG this spring, summer and early fall - much better since the upgrade. MFT is working great. Car handles great, very comfortable. Felt like I got a good price when I bought it and now Ford sends me $550. The C-Max has turned out to be everything I expected - I have no complaints. Rented a Prius a few months back. Nicely engineered car that gets great mileage but not near the ride and power I get with my C-Max. I'm very happy with my choice to go with Ford. I was messing around on my drive into work today. I've been applying P&G to get the good mileage. This morning I decided to see if I could get the car into Negative Split Mode for an extended period. I used the Empower Display and made sure I stayed above the threshold so that the ICE ran constantly and the battery charged to full. The car then kicked into Negative Split Mode and I was getting 40 plus MPG in the instant MPG readout. When I hit traffic that caused me to slow down EV kicked in. I ended up getting 47.8 MPG on my drive to work. I am curious what I'll see as it gets colder. According to the specs on the upgrade some changes were made to improve mileage in the cold. Curious as to what those were. I don't think I could get the Consumer Reports mileage now even if I tried. Not really understanding how people are getting lousy mileage. Must have really poor driving technique.

I am getting much better mileage - averaging over 48 on my latest tank - and am not hearing anything different from before. The update allows for P&G at higher speeds and it has improved my highway mileage significantly. When traffic is variable due to congestion it is not unusual to get over 50 for a trip. The thing with the CMax is you need to apply driving technique to achieve the mileage. I am employing what I have termed aggressive P&G. I'll accelerate faster than the traffic in front of me as the pulse and then glide down to their speed. If I were to graph my speed it does oscillate a bit but I wouldn't consider it extreme. I have found the technique effective for MPG while keeping up or exceeding average traffic speed. The reality is if you don't apply some driving technique you won't get as good mileage. If I drive without any regard to the instrumentation and allow traffic to dictate I'll take a hit of at least 5 MPG. The question to ask is could Ford implement an algorithm to provide more consistent MPG without the need to consciously monitor instrumentation and apply technique? My assessment, not with the current design and architecture of the CMax. Ford has chosen to trade off this potential consistency by providing more power to the engines - both EV and ICE - and adopting a design that provides more comfort versus aerodynamics. Unlike the Toyota Prius which balances the two EV motors and ICE in an optimal configuration for consistent MPG (but trades off acceleration and comfort) Ford relies on EV mode at high speeds to boost the mileage. Getting into EV mode consistently requires manual intervention. This situation doesn't bother me as now that I've learned a technique it has become second nature. I also appreciate the ability to accelerate if I need to and enjoy the visibility and comfort of the CMax. I am sure Ford will continue to refine the design in future cars.

I am a big Garmin fan and have used their GPS technology for years - both car and handheld. The CMax GPS is one of the best I've experienced for in car systems but still falls short of the Garmin technology. I do like the fact that it is integrated into the car and I feel it was worth the purchase. I do wish they would provide map updates regularly for free. I test drove a Dodge Dart before purchasing the CMax. Chrysler partnered with Garmin and implemented their GPS technology - it was very nice.

Satellite radio has limited bandwidth for their signals. Sirius/XM uses compression techniques to maximize the use of this limited bandwidth. Depending on the station you are listening to Sirius/XM may have allocated minimal bandwidth. It will sound tinny when bandwidth is limited - usually done for talk related stations. I listen to the classical station on Sirius and haven't noticed significant degradation in sound quality. I was also a teen during the 70's and blew out my eardrums long ago listening to various rock bands so take my assessment with a grain of salt.

I am reading a very interesting book - The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge. Peter is from MIT and the book is an introduction to Systems Thinking in the context of organizational learning. Though written for those in the business domain its premises can be applied broadly. The gist is as humans we aren't good at contemplating broader systems and the implications our actions / decisions have holistically. He defines some "archetypes" that represent the typical traps we fall into that cause unintended consequences and harm. I haven't finished the book yet but am intrigued by ethical / moral foundation of thinking holistically. With complex systems it is difficult to understand unintended consequences of our actions and maybe even more difficult to weigh the true benefits versus sacrifices. Gasoline engines have no doubt been instrumental in the development of our modern societies and provide an essential function that would be very difficult to live without. I doubt we could produce enough batteries to replace all the gas engines in the world and who knows what the consequences of trying that would be. In regards to international markets and political concerns regarding petroleum producers, taking a reductionist view that ties global security and "occupation" policies to my driving a hybrid is intriguing. There is no doubt driving a hybrid saves me gas but I'll reserve claims regarding world peace and a pristine environment. :)

I am not able to send with my 4S. Receiving is fine. Siri does work through the speakers so that's how I send text if I need to.

Frank you got me interested in BSFC after seeing one of your other posts. I'm far from a mechanical engineer (software engineer) but found the Wikipedia article informative http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_specific_fuel_consumption. At the end of the article there is a rating of various engine efficiencies. The numbers show Volkswagen and Audi TDI diesel engines being more efficient. Do you think we'll see diesel hybrids in the near future? Nick

Good article on the Atkinson engine: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/atkinson-cycle-engine.htm I do think Toyota has some pretty sophisticated engineering to achieve consistently high MPG and with what they consider appropriate tradeoffs in power and comfort. I prefer the tradeoffs Ford has made with the C-Max. Styling has impacted aerodynamics. Larger ICE, EV and batteries has increased weight and requires more pure EV miles to offset ICE miles. The results are excellent comfort, visibility and power when you need it, but greater reliance on driving technique to achieve maximum MPG. I achieved 55 MPG this evening during my 21 mile commute from work - mixed driving freeway and highway - and I wasn't holding up traffic.

After testing many other small cars and the Prius it was the "cross over" feel and comfort that drew us to the C-Max. I will admit that 47/47/47 was also a major factor in the purchase. I've learned to drive the car and the upgrades have made getting 47 easy this spring and summer. I got 55 mpg on my commute home today. Super happy with the car.

EV+ Mode (from manual) Your vehicle will recognize your frequent destinations and allow for more EV driving as you approach them. For example, when nearing your home it should be easier to stay in electric mode. The EV indicator will display EV+ when this mode is active. You should see this approximately 1/8 mile (200 meters) from a frequent destination. Note: Frequent destinations are learned by your vehicle after two to four weeks of use. These destinations can be cleared with a Lifetime Summary reset through the Settings menu. Note: The EV+ feature can be turned on or off through the Driver Assist section of the Settings menu. I don't believe you need the navigation package.

Can you reset the lifetime mileage?

Found this site that shows how the hybrid power split architecture works. http://eahart.com/prius/psd/ The model is based on the current Prius. The C-Max uses a similar architecture but has changed the size and power of the ICE and electric motor/generators (MG1 and MG2). In the simulation it is interesting to see how the planetary gear system acts as the CVT and how the MGs combine to keep ICE rpms at a minimum for a given speed. Disclaimer - the remainder of this email is personal conjecture based on my limited knowledge of mechanics. I have driven both the Prius and C-Max. My sense is Ford with the increased size of the ICE and MG1 has loosened the rules within the hybrid computer software that allows for more manual control and hence more variability. Ford sacrificed some fuel efficiency through styling (less aerodynamic) and overall weight of the car. Toyota has taken a "systems" approach to their overall architecture - balancing all pertinent components and hybrid controls to achieve the highest MPG but sacrificing on the driving experience (my opinion). For those that want high mpg with less dependency on driving style the Prius is probably the right choice. For those that want the better driving experience (my opinion) and greater power with the sacrifice of greater mpg variability and dependency on driving style the C-Max is a better choice.

Ford has gone through a tremendous transformation this past decade. Lest we forget Ford was the only major American car manufacturer that didn't receive a bailout from the government. Here they are innovating and having success creating some very cool and practical cars. I have felt very good about buying American and supporting a company that's achieved on it own.