Engineering news
Connected cars look set to finally reach mainstream markets following the unveiling of Ford’s updated SUV model, Kuga, which is replete with an array of driver-assistance technologies.
Launched at the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, the new Kuga’s connected offering will include Ford’s Perpendicular Parking technology that helps drivers park hands-free in spaces alongside other cars; an enhanced version of its Active City Stop collision- avoidance system; and Intelligent All Wheel Drive, which adjusts the amount of torque sent to each wheel, optimising handling and traction especially in slippery conditions. In addition, the Kuga will include Ford’s SYNC 3 technology, which connects a user’s smartphone to the vehicle.
Ford chief executive officer Mark Fields has confirmed the company’s focus on the connected car market, telling the MWC that it will triple engineering investment in driver-assist technology, speeding the roll-out of semi-automated systems that make it easier to park and drive in heavy traffic. Ford also plans to develop fully autonomous vehicles.
Fields said: “As we look to the future, it is clear we are on the cusp of a revolution in mobility – from car sharing and autonomous driving to the customer experience”.
Meanwhile, as the use of connected cars increases, telematics companies are forming partnerships with automotive manufacturers and insurance companies to provide insights into driver behaviour and improve the accuracy of pricing driver risk.
One such partnership has been forged between General Motors and Octo Telematics, which will provide ‘usage-based insurance’ and fleet- management solutions using GM’s OnStar technology. These new services will be available to insurers and fleet providers across Europe from mid-2016.
Octo has built a database containing more than 4 million connected consumers, primarily through 60 large insurer partnerships in EU and US markets. From this, it has modelled 265,000 crashes and built up 380 billion km of driving behaviour data, such as braking, acceleration and cornering, combined with meta-data such as maps and weather information – vital for determining liability in accidents.
Jonathan Hewett, executive vice-president at Octo, said: “Understanding what’s happened when there is an accident and what the liability is – particularly if you have an autonomous Google or Apple vehicle, a GM connected car, a couple of pedestrians, and a few cyclists thrown in – is going to be vitally important.
“We see that as similar to the aviation industry, where the independent arbiter of a black box provider is key. That’s where we, with our depth of data and analytics capabilities, can help that debate.”