Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) and The University of Michigan are now working together on a project that involves bringing cloud systems to cars. The service would be an add-on to Microsoft and Ford’s partnership on the Sync system. Sync is an in-car communications and entertainment system. Sync allows you to command your car to perform certain tasks using your voice.
The project between The U of M and Ford has the code-name American Journey 2.0. This will give U of M students the opportunity to work with a development operating system that could possibly benefit future Ford customers. “Already with Sync we have proven that we can access information in the cloud,” stated Ford head of infotronics Venkatesh Prasad. The infotronics division at Ford is part of the Research & Advanced Engineering department. “This research gives us the opportunity to harness the power of student innovation to explore beyond those capabilities and develop what’s next. We want the students to get creative and develop ways to responsibly connect the car to communicate and share with the outside world.”
“What excites me about this project is that it gives our students the opportunity to unleash their creativity using cutting-edge technologies that connect the vehicle and the cloud,” added U of M associate professor Dr. Jason Flinn.
American Journey 2.0 will be divided into two phases. The first phase involves testing and attempting to break the system by running several applications. During the second phase, an in-vehicle connectivity platform will be built.
After the platform is done, a competition will be held. The judges of the competition include representatives from Microsoft, Ford, the U of M, Maker Faire, and several others. The winning application developers will install their software in a Ford Fiesta at the Maker Faire DIY convention.
Ford Motor Company is unveiled one of the most high tech features I’ve seen in a car. Ali Jammoul, Chief Engineer of Chassis at Ford is giving a video demo of the Active Park Assist feature in the Lincoln MKS.
When finding a parking spot, the Active Park System takes over the wheel. Instructions about when to reverse and accelerate the car appear on the dashboard.
The Active Park System works by pressing a button, turning on the blinker, driving past the parking space, and then the system takes over. The Active Park System in the Ford cars use ultrasound sensors whereas other cars that have a similar feature uses cameras.
GM and Chrysler received $13.4 billion in emergency loans to help keep them afloat. The loans were given even though there was tremendous controversy around it. Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan decided that she did not want to take a chance for the automotive companies to revive themselves with just federal loans so she decided to offer major tax incentives to battery firms. If these companies are lured into Michigan, it makes it easier for automotive companies to use their battery technology directly.
This is especially important since hybrid and plug-in vehicles are becoming a heavy focus for the big three automotive companies. General Motors is investing a large amount of money into the development of the Chevy Volt. Ford has several hybrid vehicles being manufactured such as the Fusion and the Escape. And Chrysler has two SUV hybrids: the Durango and the Aspen.
Lithium ion batteries are extremely important for any hybrid vehicle. “It is imperative that Michigan possess this technology to keep Michigan the center of car manufacturing,” stated Senator John Pappageorge, member of the Michigan State Senate. The U.S. as a whole is lacking battery technology companies according to Granholm. It is not just the state. The batteries will store energy in cars, homes, and businesses too.
“All of that we want to make a big play for Michigan,” stated Granholm. “We want it to be an American solution produced by American workers.”
The state of Michigan is offering the battery companies refundable tax credits. These are more than just tax breaks. Refundable tax credits is when the state writes the companies a check if the credits exceed tax liabilities. The Senate passed the bill 31-3 and the House 94-0. Before the bill passed, the cost of the bill was scaled back by nearly $200 million.
