Ford "Talking" Vehicles Stop in Chicago

Ford “Talking” Vehicles Stop in Chicago to Give Nation’s Most Congested City a Peek at Safer, More Sustainable Driving

Reported by Larry Nutson
Senior Editor, Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel

CHICAGO, Illinois, July 13, 2011 – As America’s traffic congestion worsens, particularly in Chicago where wasted hours and fuel costs rank first in the nation, Ford is showcasing its leading technologies and futuristic safety research that offer safer, more fuel-efficient ways to get around town.

Ford has teamed with INRIX; a best-in-class traffic information and connected driver services provider – to deliver the Ford SYNC Destinations mobile app that helps drivers spend one less day a year stuck in traffic when used daily to plan their trips. Ford Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Research and Innovation Paul Mascarenas also demonstrated Ford’s futuristic safety research, intelligent vehicles that wirelessly talk to each other to reduce crashes, improve fuel efficiency and more efficiently route traffic.

“Intelligent vehicles are the next frontier of collision avoidance technology that could revolutionize the driving experience for safety, driver mobility, fuel efficiency and other potential conveniences,” said Mascarenas. “Ford is excited to be at the forefront of developing this technology in order to more quickly deliver its benefits to drivers.”

A 2010 NHTSA report on potential safety benefits of vehicle-to-vehicle communications estimates that intelligent vehicles could help in as many as 4.3 million police-reported, light-vehicle crashes annually, or approximately 81 percent of all light-vehicle crashes involving unimpaired drivers. Experts say intelligent vehicles could be on the road in the near future.

Ford is the first automaker to build functional prototype vehicles to preview the technology and is conducting a series of events across the country to explore the near-term feasibility to save drivers’ lives, fuel and time spent on the road. In addition to Chicago, Ford’s demonstration tour has stopped in Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

How it works

Ford’s technology allows vehicles to talk wirelessly with one another using advanced Wi-Fi signals, or dedicated short-range communications, on a secured channel allocated by the Federal Communications Commission. Unlike radar-based safety features, which identify hazards within a direct line of sight, the Wi-Fi-based radio system allows full-range, 360-degree detection of potentially dangerous situations, such as when a driver’s vision is obstructed.

For example, drivers could be alerted if their vehicle is on path to collide with another vehicle at an intersection, when a vehicle ahead stops or slows suddenly or when a traffic pattern changes on a busy highway. The systems also could warn drivers if there is a risk of collision when changing lanes, approaching a stationary or parked vehicle, or if another driver loses control.

The possibility of reduced congestion

By reducing crashes, intelligent vehicles could ease traffic delays, which would save drivers both time and fuel costs. Congestion also could be avoided through a network of intelligent vehicles and infrastructure that would process real-time traffic and road information and allow drivers to choose less congested routes.

According to Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI) 2010 Urban Mobility Report, traffic congestion continues to worsen in American cities of all sizes, annually wasting nearly 3.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2009. The average Chicago commuter spends an additional 52 hours in traffic, wasting an extra 70 gallons of gas and $1,738 from idling in congestion. Leading factors in traffic delays are caused by accidents, breakdowns and road debris, TTI maintains.

SYNC Destinations App Saving Drivers One Day and One Tank

Ford is already using its smartphone app SYNCŪ Destinations to save users about one day and one tank of gas wasted from traffic jams each year, according to INRIX. The app is free with a SYNC Services account and provides users mobile access to a host of navigation and traffic information so drivers can better plan their commutes, access real-time traffic information, and receive reliable traffic forecasts and other time-saving features.

“SYNC Destinations leverages the power of your smartphone to plan ahead, sending destination locations to your car, and factoring what’s happening on the road before you even get behind the wheel,” said Dave Gersabeck, SYNC Services product manager.

Also specific to SYNC Destinations is a 5 mph lockout feature that automatically halts the app from running on a smartphone once it is detected to be traveling in excess of 5 mph, helping drivers stay focused on the task of driving.

SYNC Destinations is available to owners of 2010-2011 SYNC-equipped, SYNC Services-capable vehicles for Apple iPhone, Apple iPad and Android-based devices, and can be downloaded through the Apple iTunes App Store and Android Market. Users must have a registered and active SYNC Services account on www.syncmyride.com

In addition to these technologies, Ford is also a leader in delivering top fuel economy performance for drivers, with at least 12 vehicles that lead their sales segments in fuel economy – including four vehicles with EPA-certified 40 mpg or higher fuel economy ratings – a claim no other full-line automaker can match. Ford’s comprehensive sustainability plan also includes a full family of electrified vehicles, with five new electrified vehicles planned for North America by 2012 and Europe by 2013.

Ford hits the gas on vehicle communications

After a decade of research, Ford announced earlier this year an accelerated development of its intelligent vehicle work, doubling its research investment and convening a new 20-member task force – consisting of company planners, engineers and scientists from around the world with expertise in safety, eco-mobility, infotainment and driver conveniences. The goal is to define the next 10 years of safety, convenience and driver assistance, and strengthen the company’s position as the global industry leader in connected vehicle technology.

Laying the connectivity groundwork

Many of Ford’s current technologies show how intelligent vehicles will be able to help drivers. For example, features that alert drivers to approaching hazards, such as Ford’s collision warning with brake support and Blind Spot Information System (BLISŪ) with cross-traffic alert, which rely on radar sensors to detect vehicles or objects close to the vehicle.

“While there are challenges ahead, the foundation of these smarter vehicles is comprised of advanced versions of pervasive technologies – Wi-Fi and crash avoidance systems that Ford has pioneered in mainstream vehicles today,” said Mascarenas. “We are not far from the day when vehicles will operate like mobile devices with four wheels, constantly exchanging information and communicating with our environment to keep us safer, shorten commute times, and generally help us more easily navigate life on the road.”