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Ford warms up new era of car-guy leaders

A minor temblor shook Dearborn, Mich., today with the announcement that Mark Fields, president of the Americas, climbed the golden corporate ladder to grab the chief operating officer ring, setting him up to succeed Alan Mulally in a couple of years. The move did not come as a shock-it only confirmed the whispers of auto industry Royal Watchers. The biggest news for those who care about cars, however, is two-fold: Jim Farley, Ford's global marketing boss, also takes the helm of Lincoln.

Mini, Airstream collaborate on concept for Italian show

One of the last things we expect to see is a Mini towing around a 22-foot Airstream trailer, but that's exactly what will be on display in Milan, Italy, at the Salone del Mobile show in April. The one-off concept brings together the two iconic brands to produce a combination that surely will please beachgoers. For a modern styling touch, the duo tapped furniture producers Republic of Fritz Hansen to work its magic on the Cooper S Clubman tow car and the Airstream trailer.

Ford creates ‘driver workload estimator’ to reduce driver distraction

Ford researchers have created a ‘driver workload estimator’ help reduce driver distraction by filtering infotainment and communication distractions. Researchers at Ford are working on a system that would use information submitted by the vehicle and the driver's body to prioritize what information can be displayed and at what time. With the ever-increasing demand for advanced infotainment systems, the chance of driver distraction has also risen as more displays and controls are integrated into the latest models.