There’s been a lot of talk about tablet computers, ultrabooks, and cutting-edge high-definition televisions at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, but it’s the connected car that has garnered some of the most interest amongst attendees. In a recent interview at the show, two Ford executives had a lot to say about their firm’s commitment to building the best and safest high-tech vehicles.In an interview with CNET.com, Ford CEO Alan Mulally and CTO Paul Mascarenas talked at length about the company’s newest connected car projects, particularly the 2013 Ford Fusion. “We’re clearly a technology company and we’re providing very important technical solutions through the mobile application devices we serve the customers with,” Mulally said.
CES has been a major launching pad for Ford, which used the platform to unveil its very high-tech 2013 Fusion. The new Fusion comes with a number of fuel options and tech conveniences built-in; prospective owners can choose between a gas-powered, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric engine. Once they’ve made that choice, the driving experience is made easier with the inclusion of several high-tech options, including connectivity with smartphones that will allow drivers to keep track of their vehicle’s overall health, its navigation, and for electric Fusion owners, its charge.
But Ford says it’s thinking even further down the road, and to demonstrate that Mulally talked about his firm’s recent announcement that it will open a research center in Silicon Valley. It’s all part of an effort, Mulally says, to hire the best people in an increasingly high-tech automotive market.
“It’s all about collaboration and partnership and open architecture,” Mulally said.
In the CNET interview, Ford CTO Paul Mascarenas focused more on the role technology is playing in keeping drivers safe. Mascarenas said it’s one of Ford major goals to have drivers “keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel,” and to use technology to achieve that goal. Mascarenas talked about the fact that a number of new Ford vehicles allow drivers to take advantage of approximately 10,000 voice commands, a feature designed to allow for the navigation of in-cabin controls without taking a driver’s focus off the highway ahead.
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