Ford to Use Space Technology to Make Connected Cars of the Future

When you think of Ford, “rugged dependability” probably comes to mind before “advanced technology” does. That may soon change, though, with Ford’s latest announcement via its partnership with St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University. Not only is Ford working to make its individual vehicles smarter, St Petersburg State University’s research is helping it make intelligent networks of smarter vehicles, which is even better. Here’s how.

Imagine a car that’s capable of communicating through WiFi, cellular networks, and an embedded modem. A Ford F-150, let’s say. Not only that, but this is capable of vehicle-to-vehicle communication as well. So now imagine that our F-150 encounters a patch of black ice in a tunnel. It would normally try to convey this information to the network so that other drivers in the area could be made aware of the situation, but it’s in a tunnel—it can’t reach the network. The car just leaving the tunnel, however, can, so it passes the message along on behalf of the truck in the tunnel.

This project was the result of three years of work on the part of Ford and the University in an effort to maintain reliable communication even in an environment with poor connection or an overloaded network. This applies equally to a robot on Earth being controlled from the International Space Station or Ford vehicles of the future.

For more information on the all amazing technology found in Ford’s lineup, be sure to call, contact us online, or just drop by the dealership. We can set you up with a test drive and a chance to check out that tech in person.

Image: Ford