In an effort to create new on-the-road tools, Ford, U of Michigan, and Intel all got together about a year ago to create a project they called American Journey 2.0. In this partnership, the U of M created Cloud Computing within the Commute, a class focused on creating new social networking applications intended for use in Ford test vehicles. The winner of this competition class was Caravan Track – an application that can be used in the Ford Fiesta research automobile.
What is Caravan Track
The winner of the “Cloud Computing in the Commute” course and competition is an application called Caravan Track. This application is built to allow clusters of cars making a trip together to keep track of one an additional. When signed to the Caravan Track system, it will monitor everything from road hazards to fuel level of all autos on the trip. If the caravan is set to pass restaurants, rest areas, or points of interest, the Caravan Track app will inform them. Messages are pre-programmed into the touch screen, making sure the driver keeps their eyes on the road.
The other five Ford App competition competitors
There were six teams within the competition to create the best Ford American Journey 2.0 application. Caravan Track took the title, but all five of the other applications have excellent promise. By matching up potential carpool passengers, GreenRide Challenge hopes to be able to lower total trip miles traveled. By allowing self-reported road hazards with one-touch systems, NostraMap creates real-time maps of areas to stay away from. Fuel Tracker gives real-time feedback on fuel economy and mileage for a specific route. Point-of-Interest is built to “learn” a driver’s interests over time, and recommend companies and locations that the driver might find interesting. “Listen. Speak. Rate. Share.” is an app built to provide and share audio reviews for points of interest along a driver’s route.
Ford Fiesta with Caravan Track
A specially-designed Ford Fiesta is going to be loaded up with Caravan Track and other experimental programs, then it will head out for Silicon Valley. This research Fiesta will attempt to social network report its entire trip from May 14 to May 22 on the way to the Maker Faire. It's sure that students at the U of M will be watching this trip very closely.
Sources:
Edmunds Blog
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2010/05/with-help-from-ford-students-create-the-future-of-in-car-cloud-computing.html
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