Former Ford employee pleads guilty to stealing $50M in "trade secrets"

[thetransporter]

"The engineer copied over 4,000 Ford documents onto an external hard drive before letting the company know of his new employer. Those documents included proprietary information on everything from engine and transmission "


Who would want ford "secrets" if he builds a car with those "Secrets" he will still have transmission problems.



http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/24/former-ford-employee-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-50m-in-trade-sec/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weblogsinc%2Fautoblog+%28Autoblog%29

[RickDaTuner]

Originally posted by thetransporter
"The engineer copied over 4,000 Ford documents onto an external hard drive before letting the company know of his new employer. Those documents included proprietary information on everything from engine and transmission "


Who would want ford "secrets" if he builds a car with those "Secrets" he will still have transmission problems.



http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/24/former-ford-employee-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-50m-in-trade-sec/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weblogsinc%2Fautoblog+%28Autoblog%29


Contrary to your assumption. Ford has been the front line to new technology development for the automotive sector. They are also one of the few Auto Manufactures who use a high percentage of proprietary equipment in their vehicles.

Stealing these trade secretes could mean a dramatic change in the way other manufactures make their cars.

In short Fords R&D rivals that of NASA, and other organizations of the like.

[clem24]

What I wonder is.. How he got busted.

[texasnick]

ahhhh.....the first step of reverse engineering at its finest....except they don't even have to buy a Ford to get the technologies haha.



Originally posted by thetransporter


Who would want ford "secrets" if he builds a car with those "Secrets" he will still have transmission problems.

I guess you've been living under a rock for the past 2 years. Ford's R&D is freaking impressive. Go check all of the applied and issued patents made by auto manufacturers for the past 2 years and tell me what you see.:rolleyes:

[swak]

I wonder who he got a job with?

Crazy amazing new KIA line in the near future???
:barf:

[texasnick]

^^^ Says in the article he got a job with Beijing Automotive Company

[dirtsniffer]

haha wow. BAC, I couldnt be less surprised by who he went to work for.

Actually, he probably worked for BAC first, and they paid him to go work for Ford :dunno: :nut:

[xxviet]

Originally posted by clem24
What I wonder is.. How he got busted.


All those pcs are loaded with spyware/key loggers. they monitor ALL of your shiz

[thetransporter]

Originally posted by texasnick
ahhhh.....the first step of reverse engineering at its finest....except they don't even have to buy a Ford to get the technologies haha.




I guess you've been living under a rock for the past 2 years. Ford's R&D is freaking impressive. Go check all of the applied and issued patents made by auto manufacturers for the past 2 years and tell me what you see.:rolleyes:


Some would argue that the older fords are better?

[ZenOps]

So thats the guy who stole the plans for the best spot for the cupholder to be.

[TorqueDog]

Originally posted by thetransporter
Some would argue that the older fords are better? Better how? Because in any category, save for personal opinion, they'd be wrong.

[PremiumRSX]

Originally posted by dirtsniffer
haha wow. BAC, I couldnt be less surprised by who he went to work for.

Actually, he probably worked for BAC first, and they paid him to go work for Ford :dunno: :nut:

I would not be surprised at all if this was the case...

Looks like he'll be spending next 6 years or so in jail before being deported.

[derpderp]

Originally posted by clem24
What I wonder is.. How he got busted.

I read once about a lady who was trying to sell Intellectual Property of Coca-Cola to a competitor, then the competitor reported her to to Coca-Cola. So maybe an honest company decided to report him.

[dirtsniffer]

hahaha, BAC is far from honest

[CUG]

Originally posted by RickDaTuner



Contrary to your assumption. Ford has been the front line to new technology development for the automotive sector. . Maybe in North America, definitely not anywhere else :rofl:

[1barA4]

Originally posted by CUG
Maybe in North America, definitely not anywhere else :rofl:

I dunno about that

Revoknuckle front suspension which eliminates torque steer, even in a 300hp fwd car (Focus RS), control blade rear independent suspension which uses almost as little room as a torsion beam suspension (used in many cars, included VW's)...and those are only two of their recent innovations.

I'm not a fan of Ford by any stretch, but they have been leading edge in a lot of things. Even GM, despite its overall garbage vehicles, invented (well, via Delphi) the magnetorheological shocks that are used in Ferraris and other high end cars.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[texasnick]

Originally posted by CUG
Maybe in North America, definitely not anywhere else :rofl:

I'm not sure what you're implying.....that the technologies Ford develops are not shared with it's plants overseas? From my reading, that's 100% not true. Pay attention to the bolded text. :dunno:

The article and study below was conducted in January 2009. Ford has been leading the innovations side of the auto industry for a few years now.

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2009/01/28/391062.html



DEARBORN, Jan. 28, 2009 – A new study by the world’s leading patent analyst, The Patent Board™, found that Ford Motor Company outperformed all other automakers in the quality and significance of its technology patents.

“Ford’s patented technologies are closer to the cutting edge than its competitors,” says Christine Wren, director of business development for The Patent Board, which tracks and analyzes patents across 17 industries globally.

Technological innovation is a core value at Ford as the company drives for leadership in quality, safety, fuel efficiency and in-car connectivity. For example, the 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid, which is America’s most fuel efficient mid-size sedan, have 119 patents, a record for Ford.

The Patent Board recently issued its Top 10 Innovators in Automotive & Transportation Patent Scorecard™ for the fourth quarter of 2008, which ranks Ford above all other automakers in Research Intensity™ and Industry Impact™. Ford’s Research Intensity score, which is more than twice that of the industry average, indicates the extent to which its portfolio includes patents with strong scientific support.

Similarly, The Patent Board’s Industry Impact score measures the broader significance and impact of a company’s patent portfolio across the industry. This indicator analyzes how other patents build on Ford’s innovation by looking at patent-to-patent citations.

“Ford’s overall patent portfolio plays a significant role in serving as a foundation for other technology innovation as shown by receiving 20 percent more citations than the average portfolio in this industry,” Wren says.

For the Fusion Hybrid, for example, teams of research scientists and engineers developed Ford-exclusive technologies that helped the vehicle achieve a certified 41 mpg in the city, 8 mpg better than the Toyota Camry hybrid.

“Ford is using technology to remake our lineup with the green, high-tech vehicles customers want,” says Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “The Fusion Hybrid team set the bar high – to develop America’s most fuel efficient mid-size sedan – and that’s what they delivered.”

Patents on the Fusion Hybrid pertain to technologies such as Ford’s new-generation hybrid powertrain and SmartGaugeTM with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster that helps coach drivers to achieve better fuel efficiency.

“We focus on getting high-quality patents that have the best breakthrough potential for the company,” says Bill Coughlin, president and CEO of Ford Global Technologies.

Specific Fusion and Fusion Hybrid patents include:

Hybrid technology – The Fusion Hybrid’s powertrain system combines the best attributes of the gasoline engine and electric battery-driven motors to deliver the optimal experience for the customer in terms of driving performance and fuel economy. The overall system upgrade allows the hybrid to operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, approximately twice as fast as some competitors. The city driving range on a single tank of gas is expected to be more than 700 miles.

SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide – This unique instrument cluster helps coach Fusion Hybrid drivers on how to optimize performance of their vehicle for maximum fuel efficiency. It features two, high-resolution, full-color liquid crystal display (LCD) screens on either side of the analog speedometer that can be configured to show different levels of information, including fuel and battery power levels, average and instant mpg report.

Blind Spot Information System (BLIS™) with Cross Traffic Alert – Ford’s new Cross Traffic Alert feature will help warn drivers of impending traffic while backing out by using radars to pick up moving objects within a 65-foot range from either side of the vehicle. Two warnings are given: an indicator lights up in the corresponding outside mirror and an audible alert is sounded. The feature works in conjunction with Ford’s radar-based Blind Spot Information System, utilizing this system’s two multiple beam radar modules, which are packaged in the rear quarter panels – one per side. The radar identifies when a vehicle enters the defined blind spot zone and illuminates an indicator light on the corresponding sideview mirror providing a warning that a vehicle is approaching.

EasyFuel™ Capless Fuel-Filler System – This industry-exclusive feature eliminates the need to touch dirty gas caps and helps to reduce evaporative emissions that create smog. When fueling is completed and the fuel pump nozzle is removed, the system automatically seals shut.

Patenting is a global activity at Ford, with experts in the United States, Europe, India and China sharing common processes and reporting through Ford Global Technologies, LLC, a wholly owned Ford subsidiary responsible for managing Ford’s intellectual property worldwide.


Edit: Here's an interesting article as well;

http://www.modernracer.com/news/ford-fusion-hybrid-holds-record-for-most-patents/957/



A patent analyst firm called The Patent Board found that Ford had the most number of significant technology patents, and most of them were implemented in the new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.
The 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid, which is America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan, has a record 119 patents.

The Patent Board recently issued its Top 10 Innovators in Automotive & Transportation Patent Scorecard™ for the fourth quarter of 2008, which ranks Ford above all other automakers in Research Intensity and Industry Impact. Ford’s Research Intensity score, which is more than twice that of the industry average, indicates the extent to which its portfolio includes patents with strong scientific support.

For the Fusion Hybrid, for example, teams of research scientists and engineers developed Ford-exclusive technologies that helped the vehicle achieve a certified 41 mpg in the city, 8 mpg better than the Toyota Camry hybrid.

Patents on the Fusion Hybrid pertain to technologies such as Ford’s new-generation hybrid powertrain and SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster that helps coach drivers to achieve better fuel efficiency.

Specific Fusion and Fusion Hybrid patents include hybrid technology, that allows operation up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, SmartGauge with EcoGuide instrument cluster that helps coach drivers on how to optimize fuel efficiency, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert to warn drivers of impending traffic while backing out using radars, the corresponding outside mirror and an audible alert is sounded, and the EasyFuel Capless Fuel-Filler System that eliminates the need to touch dirty gas caps.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak

Although I always did wonder how they get it to break down at the worst possible time

Hang on, I thought your Hummer was a GM product?




/zing! :D

[Sugarphreak]

...

[CUG]

Originally posted by 1barA4


I dunno about that

No no, gentlemen. I've seen tech in late 80's and early 90's benz's and BMW's that NA automakers dub as "new technology" as late as 2005. I know that passenger airbags didn't even really exist in North American cars for quite a while. The germans had them as early as 1989.

I'm not detracting from Ford really, I like a ton of their new product, but the history on all of it is yet to exist, so we'll see if it's just a bunch more poor quality and bad engineering like previous gens of Ford stuff.

[1barA4]

Originally posted by CUG
No no, gentlemen. I've seen tech in late 80's and early 90's benz's and BMW's that NA automakers dub as "new technology" as late as 2005. I know that passenger airbags didn't even really exist in North American cars for quite a while. The germans had them as early as 1989.


The reverse of your statement is that NA and Japanese automakers had tech that the Germans still don't...like being able to wire a car correctly. Pretty sure they have been doing that since the early 1900's and the Germans, Brits, etc. still don't get it right, especially according to consumer surveys, reports, reviews, etc.
:nut:

That's the paradoxical nature of German engineering...they'll make a door that closes solidly, adaptive headlights (oh wait, those were actually invented in America in the 40's, on the Tucker), AWD in a passenger car (yay Audi), stuff like that...and still have a car that was wired by an epileptic dyslexic.

[clem24]

Originally posted by 1barA4
AWD in a passenger car (yay Audi)

There were the first to have an AWD *RALLY* car but not the first with an AWD passenger car...