Inside Ford's Michigan Proving Grounds, Including Bronco Testing Facilities

[Administrator]

This is how Ford Tests their cars and trucks! Wind tunnels, Ice testing, offroad driving.



00:00 Introduction
01:03 Sub Zero Winter Testing
03:05 Astronaut in Heat Room
03:36 Freezing Wind Tunnel
05:51 World's Largest Wind Tunnel
07:08 Inside Wind Turbine
08:44 Driving Simulator
10:26 Robotic Durability Track
10:42 Steep Hill Testing
11:48 Dirt Rally Testing
13:00 Boulder Climbing
13:51 Concrete Block Climbing
14:29 Final Thoughts
14:49 Bronco vs Jeep

Sponsored

 

[userdude]

Interesting... When I retire, I wanna be one of their test drivers.

 

[Area51BS]

Not to come across as negative. Not impressed. It amazes me what manufacturers miss or let slide.

 

[DarthLincoln]

Not to come across as negative. Not impressed. It amazes me what manufacturers miss or let slide.

That was by far, not everything Ford tests their vehicles on. That’s not even all of Michigan proving ground (e.g. they have much much steeper grades than 29%), and Ford also has Arizona proving grounds plus testing at other facilities and real world testing in the desert.

I dunno if the guy doing the video just didn’t know or didn’t clarify that he was given only a small taste. He left me thinking he’s a poor source for information when he was at the 29% grade and said EVs like Ford Lightning “have motors built into their tires”. WTF.

 

[Sitruc_btb]

Not to come across as negative. Not impressed. It amazes me what manufacturers miss or let slide.

No one checked the rear doors after the Bronco snow blizzard test. Haha!

 

[BAUS67]

Sooooooooooo, I see it says ice testing. Thats funny because my MIC top has gone through some freeze thaw cycles and it seems to have developed some flaws.

Oh yeah I forget they probably tested a 4DR with a soft top (didn't watch the video yet)

I just find it amazing that Ford has not addressed this curfuful yet. Guess they just figure they will screw people over like they did when they said "As close to reservation order as possible"

 

[NC_Pinz]

And that isn't their only facility. I was part of the design team for the Allen Park facility. One aeroacoustic tunnel, one climatic tunnel, and one climatic tunnel with altitude capability. Plenty of soak rooms and 4 drivetrain test cells.

 

[AK SNO RIDER]

I refuse to believe Ford does any winter testing with their vehicles.

 

[Squatch]

I refuse to believe Ford does any winter testing with their vehicles.

You don't recall Ice Mountain?

 

[Area51BS]

Nobody felt hot or cold in the back seat 4 years ago. How about the upright rear seating position even though side panel angle looks like seat was intended to lean back more. Or even tried CarPlay more than one time.

 

[AK SNO RIDER]

Nobody felt hot or cold in the back seat 4 years ago. How about the upright rear seating position even though side panel angle looks like seat was intended to lean back more. Or even tried CarPlay more than one time.

Gonna throw this out just because I've seen a few people not know this...maybe you do and you're just looking for more, but the rear seats do recline a small amount. Not much but better than than the default straight up.

 

[Rydfree]

Sooooooooooo, I see it says ice testing. Thats funny because my MIC top has gone through some freeze thaw cycles and it seems to have developed some flaws.

Oh yeah I forget they probably tested a 4DR with a soft top (didn't watch the video yet)

I just find it amazing that Ford has not addressed this curfuful yet. Guess they just figure they will screw people over like they did when they said "As close to reservation order as possible"

Hell, my top developed those type cracks after just 3 months of mostly sitting in my garage at the time!

 

[TrailDust]

Pretty sure Ford never tested the Bronco in heavy side winds with the crappy frameless windows. It's a crap shoot whether they'll blow out in any cross wind over 25 mph at highway speeds. Must have driven right past that giant wind tunnel giving it the finger.

 

[Area51BS]

Gonna throw this out just because I've seen a few people not know this...maybe you do and you're just looking for more, but the rear seats do recline a small amount. Not much but better than than the default straight up.

Yes they do, but it appears they could have gone back a lot more.

 

[wjtinfwb]

30 years ago I worked for a staffing office in S Florida. From time to time we'd get requirements from automakers for durability test drivers. The longest one was a 7 month project for GM. They were testing a new A/C compressor and needed 15-16 drivers to drive a fleet of 4 Suburban's that were rigged to have the A/C on Max High and driven 24/7 until they'd reached 125k miles to check for failures and performance. The trucks ran a predetermined route of about 300 miles through the Everglades and south central Florida to avoid as much traffic as possible and keep average speeds up. Took about 6 months to get all the Suburban's through the test. We had one accident that was relatively minor, a couple tire failures and one incident with a stray alligator who wandered onto FL 80 late night and took the brunt of a 3/4 ton 4wd Suburban. A fun project and the new GM A/C compressors passed with flying colors.

Sponsored