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Today, much of this sort of information
exists in isolation, but increasingly it will be
communicated, with the permission of vehicle owners, into cloud data
centres where it can be
analysed and used to inform future services, according to Ford executives.
“Our challenge is that we have different pockets of how we store this data. We're trying to sort this
out and answer, ‘What is the solution set?’ ” Viera said.
The impact of Ford's investment in Big Data capabilities already has been far-reaching. The insights
that this group is producing, for example, were used to project the right production levels for Ford
vehicles
of all power types, based on potential climate impact over the next 50 years. It was also
used to determine that Ford is better off investing in several types of alternative engine power
approaches,
including all-electric, biodiesel, hybrid and plug-in electric,
compressed natural gas
(CNG) and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).
Looking into the future, the data being collected from Ford's fleet will be used to help automate so-
called green routing services that automatically optimize a vehicle's speed to minimize its impact on
local air conditions, said John Ginder, manager of systems analytics
and environmental sciences,
research and environmental engineering. These profiles might be triggered automatically, perhaps,
if someone drives into a "green zone" near hospitals, schools or high-density residential areas.
From a production standpoint, Ford also is closely watching the impact of these innovations across
its supply chain,
said Tim Wallington, Ford climate scientist and senior technical leader for
environmental sciences. In particular, the company tracks the demand and availability of rare earth
elements, lithium and platinum group metals.
“We are looking for the best ways to meet the rather significant climate change challenge in a cost-
effective way,” Wallington said.
See more at:
https://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/10/28/how-big-data-drives-fords-green-
technology-investments
