The connection between what people wear and what they drive is getting stronger with help from Ford’s new wearables research laboratory where scientists and engineers are working to integrate wearable devices and vehicles to enable driver-assist technologies to be more aware of the driver behind the wheel – particularly when that driver is stressed or sleepy.
Researchers at the new Automotive Wearables Experience laboratory housed in the Ford Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, Michigan, USA, are examining the potential to link vital health information to in-vehicle technologies, including lane-keeping assist and blind spot information systems.
Meanwhile, Ford and IBM are working together on a pilot platform that can spot patterns, correlations and trends to help consumers make more efficient transportation decisions – such as finding an open spot in a jam-packed parking lot or quickly advising of a more efficient method of transportation if a commuter is caught in an unexpected traffic jam.
The Smart Mobility Experimentation Platform enables Ford research scientists to look at tiny pieces of data – 10 or 15 seconds at a time – to spot tendencies and behaviors. Scientists can then write and refine code based on this. The platform uses IBM streaming analytics delivered via IBM’s Cloud to allow for continuous updating. This acts as the brains underpinning the parking and shuttle services that Ford is developing.
January 13, 2016