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Mulally confirms he's not leaving Ford for Microsoft

In recent months, rumors had been flying about Ford CEO Alan Mulally potentially leaving the company to take a position at Microsoft. Last we heard, Mulally was planning to stick around at Ford through at least 2014, and in an interview today, that bit was confirmed by the CEO himself.
According to the Associated Press, in a report from The Detroit News, Mulally said he will not be leaving Ford for Microsoft, and reiterated that he will remain at the Blue Oval through 2014, if not longer. Mulally has "no plans other than to serve Ford," according to the report.
Mulally did not say whether or not he had been in talks with Microsoft at any point. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has said he plans to leave the software company sometime this year.

Ford hit by lawsuit over hybrid technology from, surprise, Paice

The name Paice will be familiar to anyone who's been deep in the weeds of hybrid history, but it will probably be new to anyone who simply drives one. The key part of the story is something called "HyperDrive," which is the name given to a gas-electric powertrain technology developed by Alex Severinsky and patented in 1994. HyperDrive is a way to get the energy from both the electric battery and the engine into the wheels, seamlessly. The patents are held by Paice, which is an unusual company (its HQ is a house in a retirement community, right by a golf course) that does nothing but litigate. You can read more on Paice here. The latest case targets Ford and the hybrid and plug-in versions of the C-Max and Fusion models as well as the Lincoln MKZ. Paice claims that it held "over 100 meetings and interactions with Ford" between 1999 and 2004, and gave the automaker, "detailed information about the hybrid technology that Paice had developed." The suit also alleges that: For more than five years, Paice answered inquiries from multiple departments within Ford, believing in good faith that a business relationship between Paice and Ford would be mutually beneficial and advance the acceptance of Paice's technology. ... After years of Ford learning the details of Paice's hybrid drivetrain technology, Ford elected not to enter into a business relationship with Paice. The suit is officially known as, "Paice LLC v. The Ford Motor Co., 14-492, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland (Baltimore)" and you can read the PDF here. Ford told AutoblogGreen, "we do not comment on pending litigation." Toyota settled a similar patent-infringement case in 2010 and now pays Paice almost $100 for every hybrid it sells. Paice is still in court against Hyundai and Kia. In 2010, Ford also settled with Paice but they agreed to keep negotiating on other issues until at least January 1, 2014. With that date now in the past, it didn't take long for Paice to file papers to get the two sides back before a judge. That's where it appears to be most comfortable.

Ford sets world record for biggest Hot Wheels track loop

Take Your Child to Work Day looks like a pretty amazing experience for a child if their parent works at Ford. For the recent event, workers at the Blue Oval set up the world's largest Hot Wheels track loop in the atrium of the company's Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, MI, and launched toy cars from over three stories. The idea came from Ford dynamometer technician Matt West who had been building progressively larger loops with his son. This one was the biggest ever, though, with a ramp 35.5-feet high and a 12.5-foot loop to crush the previous record of nine feet, nine inches tall. Fittingly, the track was inaugurated with a Ford Mustang Hot Wheels car taking the first run. To support such a massive size, the Hot Wheels track fits into a plywood structure that's bolted together. Beyond just being fun and looking incredibly cool, the stunt was meant to teach kids about mathematics and engineering. Ford Sets World Record for Biggest Hot Wheels Car Track Loop in Support of Take Your Child to Work Day • To help children cultivate an interest in science and engineering, Ford attempted to set a new world record for building the largest Hot Wheels® car track loop as part of this year's Take Your Child to Work Day • Ford Mustang Hot Wheels car started at more than three stories high inside Ford Research and Innovation Center • Old record loop stood at nine feet, nine inches tall DEARBORN, Mich., April 23, 2015 – Ford ran circles around the old Hot Wheels® record loop as part of this year's Take Your Child to Work Day. When the effort was complete, Ford had made a world record attempt with a Hot Wheels car track loop that exceeded 12 feet tall. The world record attempt was the brainchild of Ford dynamometer technician Matt West, who had built increasingly large Hot Wheels loops with his six-year-old son Blade at their home in Monroe, Michigan. The attempt took place in the three-story atrium of the company's Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn in support of Ford's participation in national Take Your Child to Work Day. "It started as part-fun, part-physics lesson with my son at home," said West. "We built one in our playroom, and then built a five-foot- tall loop in our backyard.