Ford to Open R&D Center in Silicon Valley

Ford is continuing to push the envelope when it comes to automotive technology—all the way from its Motor City roots to Silicon Valley: The automaker recently announced it would open its very first dedicated research and development lab in California’s high-tech hotspot. The new facility will be located in the San Francisco Bay area and open later this quarter, with efforts to be spearheaded by the automaker’s Ford Research and Innovation division. Combined with Ford’s Advanced Design Studio in Irvine, Calif., and the company’s presence in Redmond, Wash.—where Ford team members are working in collaboration with Microsoft, Ford’s “connectivity platform partner”—the result will be a comprehensive West Coast innovation network that will help Ford further advance its leadership role in transportation technologies. “Silicon Valley represents a deep and dynamic technology neighborhood and is far from Dearborn [Ford’s home base],” said K. Venkatesh Prasad, senior technical leader for open innovation with Ford Research and Innovation. “With so many opportunities and so much potential, our new lab will allow us to scout new technologies and partners in their own environment and continue our expansion beyond the traditional automaker mindset to drive innovation for a better mobility experience.” More specifically, Ford’s new Silicon Valley enterprise will focus on areas including: Personal mobility—Using a “holistic approach to personal transportation” to take on issues surrounding urban transportation in a time of growing megacities around the globe. Open-source hardware and software developer kits—Providing developers with access to the vehicle data they need to design cutting-edge cloud-based apps and services. The car as a sensor—Discovering new ways to leverage vehicles’ current range of sensors to enhance the driving experience for everyone; for example, by using data about when drivers activate their windshield wipers to enhance weather reporting. “Ford integrates technologies, software and electronics at the same pace as the most innovative companies in the world—our platform just happens to be the car,” said Paul Mascarenas, Ford chief technical officer and vice president of Research and Innovation. “The new Silicon Valley lab will propel us further as we look at the many facets of life where mobility interacts with society and see how we can make those experiences better for millions of customers around the world.”