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CES 2013: Cars to Become More Connected and Conversational

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January 10, 2013

Just as phones and TV have become “smart,” the latest generation of cars are much more digitally enhanced to keep drivers connected and keep their eyes on the road with a variety of hands-free voice controls and wireless offerings. From Ford’s SYNC interface to Hyundai’s Blue Link to Chrysler’s Uconnect, car manufacturers are upping the ante with displays and concepts at CES, expanding infotainment, connectivity and security. Continue reading CES 2013: Cars to Become More Connected and Conversational

CES 2013: Automakers Drive to New Heights in Las Vegas

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January 9, 2013

The car is undergoing a transformation from humble hardware device to cloud-connected smart room that will soon be driving itself. Speaking at the Samsung keynote, President Bill Clinton described getting into a staff member’s Ford and being invited to ask it something. “I asked ‘Where is the nearest Chinese restaurant, and I immediately got a list, a map and GPS directions. I didn’t know that about the Ford! Driving has become a high-tech experience,” said Clinton. Continue reading CES 2013: Automakers Drive to New Heights in Las Vegas

Disruption: Is a Smartphone or Car the Must-Have Product for Teenagers?

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November 28, 2011
  • In a soon to be published survey, Gartner reports that 46 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds would choose Internet access over having their own vehicle.
  • “The car used to be the signal of adulthood, of freedom,” says Sheryl Connelly of Ford. “It was the signal into being a grown-up. Now, the signal into adulthood for teenagers is the smartphone.”
  • “Mobile devices, gadgets and the Internet are becoming must-have lifestyle products that convey status,” explains Gartner’s Thilo Koslowski. “In that sense these devices offer a degree of freedom and social reach that previously only the automobile offered.”
  • Connected cars may help change this emerging trend — cars that can take pictures and make calls and interact with social networks.
  • “In other words, to entice teenagers, Ford and other automakers need to make their cars more like smartphones,” suggests The New York Times.

Evos Concept Car Unveiled: Cloud-Connected Ford Goes the Extra Mile

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September 20, 2011
  • Technology is now “an experience” on the Ford Evos Concept car, unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show last week.
  • This cloud-connected vehicle knows all about your preferences, health, work schedule and much more. As a plug-in hybrid it can also “run as a full electric for at least part of its 500 mile total range,” reports Engadget.
  • The car polls your work schedule, traffic and weather information to determine when your alarm at home should wake you to get you on the road in time. It continues your cloud music from your home seamlessly. It suggests alternate routes based on last minute changes to your schedule. It alters the energy consumption, braking, suspension and steering based on the requirements of the road ahead.
  • Moreover, it adjusts the music to suit your preferences for a particular stretch of road. You can also share driving routes with your friends. The Ford Evos monitors your heart rate and pollution conditions and responds accordingly.

Auto Manufacturers Announce Collaboration on Data Standards

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August 24, 2011
  • Ford and Toyota announced this week they will work together on the development of standards for Internet connectivity in their vehicles.
  • The collaboration will address Bluetooth and Wi-Fi use, in addition to back-end networking infrastructure for in-vehicle data services.
  • “Standards will be crucial to enable car companies to work with third party developers, device makers, cell phone companies and Internet companies to create applications that are actually compelling to drivers,” reports GigaOM. “Drivers will want to move their data, digital entertainment and Internet services from their homes and cell phones to their cars, and this will rely on a standardized format.”
  • Ford is developing related technology beyond digital entertainment and basic Internet services, with the goal of enabling vehicles to wirelessly communicate in an effort to reduce crashes and fuel consumption.

Ford Demonstrates the First Private Cloud Vehicle

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July 18, 2011
  • Ford recently demonstrated a “short-range” Wi-Fi network that allows vehicles to communicate in a private cloud with other vehicles.
  • One key application is to alert drivers of potential crash situations in time to allow them to respond. The cloud technology has significant advantages over radar systems.
  • The technology could also enable communication with a traffic management system to help avoid traffic jams, thereby saving time and fuel.
  • Ford hopes to have its intelligent car technology in production as early as 2013.

Google+ Business Test Program will Move Up its Schedule

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July 15, 2011
  • Google had originally planned to test business partners on Google+ sometime in the coming months, but strong interest has led to the company possibly announcing partners as early as next week.
  • Christian Oestlien, group product manager at Google, wrote this week that “thousands upon thousands” of businesses are interested in using Google+. And as a result, the demand “has got us very focused on accelerating our business plans.”
  • Several businesses — including Ford, Breaking News and Mashable — have already moved ahead by creating Google+ profiles for their brands.
  • Businesses interested in a partnership are being asked to submit their applications by Friday, July 15.

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