At the 2016 Mobile Word Congress (MWC) Shanghai, Ford has unveiled two smart mobility initiatives – Panda Dynamic Shuttle and Ding Ding Parking Space Lock – that aim to make mobility much more convenient. The American carmaker also announced four new Ford SYNC AppLink partnerships – three of which are in China and one in Thailand. The company also showcased its car-sharing concept that it had experimented in Bengaluru in 2015.
The Ding Ding Parking Space Lock experiment, that works on Ford SYNC, gives ford drivers exclusive hands-free control over parking spaces. The company says that it conducted the Smart Parking experiment with Ford employees in Shanghai to make parking near the office much easier and hassle-free.
In partnership with Panda Shuttle, a famous shuttle bus company in Dalian, China and Tsinghua University, Ford Motor Company developed a scheduling tool that provides flexible transport services. Under this project, an algorithm in Panda Shuttle’s mobile app is employed that allows the company to schedule the stops and routes of Ford Transit shuttle buses more dynamically. To be able to handle the demand as per the number of commuters travelling at a certain time, this system offers its services for three conditions- peak hours, mid-day and at night. Thanks to advance booking option and an average of six or seven stops per trip (as against 13 stops for regular buses), these shuttles can complete a circuit 35 percent faster than public buses.
“A key goal of this experiment is to see how we can use existing resources more efficiently,” said John Larsen, director, Ford Smart Mobility, Ford Asia Pacific. “We’re learning that by offering different models of service at different times, based on the amount of people looking for a ride and their location, we’re able to deliver a more effective transportation service.”
“The work we’re doing in Dalian With Panda Shuttle, our new AppLink partnerships and our recent parking announcements all showcase a key element of Ford Smart Mobility worldwide: tailoring mobility solutions to the unique needs of consumers in cities all over the globe,” said Larsen. “Working with partners gives us local expertise and enables us to deliver more effective mobility solutions wherever they’re needed.”
