Ford’s Ambitious Plan: Cars That Talk

Can you imagine a world where cars talk to each other?  Can you picture a world where cars can tell other cars that there is an accident and heavy traffic up ahead?  Try to conceptualize that a car can tell another that there is a parking space available at the location you are traveling to.  Bill Ford, Jr. has not only imagined this world but he is already taking steps to make this a reality.  In the case of the Ford Motor Company Chairman, he doesn’t t literally mean talk though.  He considers it more like technological communication.  In the near future Mr. Ford envisions a world where cars can connect to each other to transfer pertinent information that will help drivers to be more efficient all around the world.

Mr. Ford is concerned about impending population growth.  He estimates that the number of cars on the road will double or even triple within the next few decades.  This poses a problem for commuters. Highways and local roads will become increasingly congested causing travel times to increase around the world.  Densely populated metropolitan areas that continuously endure staggering traffic jams will now face even more chaos and inconvenience.

Ford has already delved into this connected technology with their Ford Sync feature.  This feature enables drivers to operate an in-vehicle communication system.  Millions of Ford owners are able to make hands free phone calls and use voice commands to control many other functions.  Ford would like to take this technology a step further well before a population crisis occurs.  Bill Ford, Jr. hopes that his motivation for developing this connected technology will catch on.

I think that Ford’s plan is ambitious but very realistic.  We have technology that allows us to communicate from space so why not with cars down the street.  I think that equipping travelers with a method of acquiring information will help to make driving more efficient and hassle free.  During the next couple of decades, the population is destined to multiply exponentially.  The probability of being stuck in traffic will no longer be affected by time of day and direction.  It will become a round the clock occurrence.  If cars are able to communicate with each other in real time, this will ease the burden.

The problem of population density and traffic gridlock can’t just be solved with cars that can talk to each other.  It is beyond that.  Governing bodies will need to invest in the infrastructure to support the ever growing population.  Mass transit options have to become accessible and convenient enough to compete with the use of a personal car.  At the moment, we are still heavily dependent on petroleum production.  The car industry should first make every effort to manufacture cars that are sustainable and environmentally responsible.  We need cars that are not dependent on oil.  Although Ford does offer several eco-conscious models, there is still much more to be accomplished in this area by this company and others.

March 3, 2011