As a result of the Canada Post strike, there may be delays in the delivery and receipt of documents and payments by mail. If you require immediate assistance, please contact us.

Skip navigation

Ford and IBM Join Forces to Transform Technology in the Auto Industry

January 12th, 2016  |  Canadian Business

In case you haven’t heard yet, Ford’s interests now go beyond just vehicles. Ford wants to become a leader in technology as well. That might be why Ford and IBM have partnered to create a platform that uses cloud-based analytics to, hopefully, enhance the way consumers drive.

On January 11, Ford and IBM announced an ambitious joint project. As part of Ford’s new Smart Mobility initiative, Ford and IBM are working on a platform that will analyze vehicle data, spot trends and patterns, and then send the results to drivers -- the information is supposed to help them make on-road decisions. IBM’s cloud technology will be used to stream the data.

The platform, called Smart Mobility Experimentation Platform, is in pilot mode. TechRepublic says the platform is currently being used in conjunction with Ford’s Dynamic Shuttle program, an on-demand, web-based ride service that runs in Michigan.

Ford is hopeful that the platform will enable the everyday driver. For instance, the platform will be able to detect when a car is pulling out of a parking spot and then alert nearby drivers of the available spot.

The approach of this technology ought to tell consumers that other innovative and transformative technology is coming to the auto industry. In some cases, in big ways and from surprising trailblazers.

Image Courtesy of Adobe Stock