Ford is pushing forward in the evolution of the connected car with the unveiling of OpenXC, a research platform which aims to turn your car into a plug-and-play device.
Ford is gung-ho for connectivity and seems determined to pack as much technology into its cars as possible. It believes connectivity and in-car tech like Sync can make us better, safer drivers while increasing the practicality and usefulness of our time behind the wheel.
Open XC, announced Monday at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco, rests on collaboration with open-source hardware makers Bug Labs. Using a dashboard-mounted device, Ford’s cars could essentially become docking stations for user-selected hardware and software modules (seen above in prototype form) that can be plugged in to the car. The OpenXC research program will provide developers with tool kits to create applications specifically for use in the car, which are then stored on the different modules.
via Autopia/Wired
Photo: Ford
