From what I've read, this use of soybeans in cars isn't a first for Ford. Seeking to generate a market in the Depression, Henry Ford himself ordered the use of soybean-based materials in Fords -- mainly, as I recall, for gear-shift knobs, dashboard knobs, etc. (things that would be made of hard plastic today). Apparently, he figured that if the company bought soybeans from struggling farmers, the farmers, in turn, would have money to purchase Ford products. Apparently, he was right -- the company is still here.