At Techcrunch Disrupt this week Ford showed aftermarket hardware modules for the dash that car stereo shops and car dealers might sell in the future.
The modules would each have a specific function: one might be a 4G modem and one might be a guided audio tour of Yellowstone national park.
The project basically gives app developers access to cheap modular hardware to create in-car gadgets. It’s in the research stage, but Ford plans to get tool kits out to developers later this year. If enough software developers sign on, the project might come to fruition.
Ford envisions a special cable that would include several USB ports to accept the modules, said a spokesman. The cable would also have a connection to the OBD II port in the car.
Autopia reported that stores such as CarToys might sell the gadgets as well as car dealers.
The Ford spokesman told us the auto maker is considering all outlets including selling online and “something that could be on a store shelf at Best Buy.”
To explain; Ford company has partnered with Bug Labs which makes generic hardware modules. Bug’s modules essentially act as Lego blocks to create a gadget. All that’s missing is the software. Until now, Bug’s products were used to create custom gadgets for businesses (say Company X wanted a handheld device for its employees). Now, that modular-hardware may head for the car.
Ford says a target range for the modules is $20 to $30.
As we see it, the venture basically lets app developers become in-car accessory manufacturers. Ford says app developer could create a GPS module or a fuel economy app that works with a Bluetooth, solar powered screen on the dash.
“We’re actually modularizing the app,” said Ford research senior technical leader K. Venkatesh Prasad in an interview, reported Autopia.
The video below of Bug Labs’ products helps explain the concept.
The Ford and Bug Labs venture is called OpenXC. Ford would not speculate on when it might come to market. “We’re focusing on getting it into the hands of developers and seeing what innovation can come from it,” said the spokesman.
In a press release, Ford and Bug Labs said, “the car becomes a docking station for Bug Labs interchangeable plug-and-play hardware and software modules programmed with only the connectivity features and services the driver wants. Functions change with the addition or deletion of modules, giving owners the freedom to continually customize their experience without breaking the bank…” You can see the full press release here.
In yesterday’s CEoutlook newsletter, we published a quick link to a story in the New York Times here.
Source: Ford, Bug Labs, Autopia
