Ford is looking at ways smartphones can be utilized to reduce road dangers and increase the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists.
With this, Ford is developing a mobile app that is designed to warn drivers of the presence of nearby bicyclists and pedestrians, as per Gizmodo.
The phone app will utilize Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology.
Ford Mobile App Intends to Complement Co-Pilot360
Ford is working with Commsignia, PSS, Ohio State University, T-Mobile, and Tome Software on the project that would create an app alerting drivers of nearby pedestrians and bicyclists, as per TechCrunch.
The app will be very useful for both the drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. According to Car Scoops, the app that uses BLE will be downloaded by the users. Through this, the Ford vehicles will be alerted of their location.
In instances when the vehicle determines that there is a risk of collision, the vehicle could warn the driver through dashboard screen graphics or sounds.
Moreover, the vehicle could show the location of the pedestrian or bicyclist to the driver even if they are in the blind corners, as per the Car Scoops report.
"Newer Ford vehicles already with Ford Co-Pilot360 Technology can detect and help warn drivers of pedestrians, bicyclists, scooter riders and others - and even apply brakes if drivers do not respond in time," said Jim Buczkowski, Executive Director, Research and Advanced Engineering, as cited in the Ford website.
The company is now trying to find ways in order to expand vehicle sensing capability, particularly in blind areas. According to Ford, they are doing this in order to help people "drive even more confidently on roads."
According to the automaker, the new mobile app was created "to complement, not replace," the Co-Pilot360 advanced driver assistance system of Ford vehicles. The Co-Pilot360 allows for automatic lane keeping and blind spot assistance.
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Ford Will Demonstrate Its New App This Week
According to Gizmodo, for the first time, Ford's will demonstrate its new app at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America's World Congress, which will happen this week.
The new technology offers a number of benefits. One of them is enabling drivers to effectively see around blind corners. It also alerts drivers of any pedestrians or bicyclists who are crossing the street.
Ford said that the mobile app technology utilizing BLE has other potential uses. Aside from detecting pedestrians and bicyclists, it could also detect construction zones and construction workers.
Moreover, since the technology alerts the driver through a dashboard via graphics and sound, it is going to be useful at night; more so during instances when pedestrians and bicyclists are difficult to see.
As mentioned previously, the application intends to complement, not replace Ford's existing advanced driver assistance system, the Co-Pilot360. The said system is very useful when the driver fails to see obstacles on the road in time.
According to Ford, BLE connectivity technology communicates with other similarly equipped devices using radio waves in the 2.4-gigahertz band.
This kind of radio wave is already available in smartphones. Moreover, no hardware changes are necessary for vehicles as it is compatible with SYNC connected vehicle technology.
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