<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/tech/" rel="tag">Technology</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a></p><img hspace="0" border="1" vspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/caravantrack-630op.jpg" alt="" /><br />
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If you're even marginally interested in mobile technology, you know the future is in the cloud. Remote servers store your data, allowing you to access everything from contacts to music from a range of devices. That technology has largely been limited to mobile phones and PCs, but <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/ford/">Ford's</a> pioneering a new system that's set to connect the cloud to your car.<br />
<br />
Six teams of students enrolled in Cloud Computing in the Commute at the University of Michigan have partnered with Ford's Research and Advanced Engineering program to develop a handful of applications utilizing real-time vehicle data, GPS and social networking to create a connected in-car experience like no other.<br />
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The software, dubbed "Fiestaware" and built atop Windows 7 and Microsoft's Robotics Developer Studio, allowed the teams to create services and software that utilize the vehicle's on-board internet connection to deliver a variety of information to the driver. <br />
<br />
Each team created an app they felt would best utilize the available services, and the programs included everything from a real-time fuel consumption tool to traffic alerts and point-of-interest sharing. All the programs were tested and honed by Ford's user interface engineers, and a panel judges from FoMoCo, U-M and Microsoft picked one app as the winner.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=108014259239935&index=1">Caravan Track</a> (pictured above) allows drivers to set a route on a website, track participating vehicles and send the driver hazard notifications, along with a host of other information. The team that created the program will get to test out their app on the road when they depart from Ann Arbor, MI on May 14th and drive cross-country to the Maker Faire in San Mateo, CA in a kitted-out <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/fiesta">Fiesta</a>.<br />
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Judging by the pace of development and Ford's continued innovations in the infotainment space, expect similar cloud-based services to be included in future Blue Oval products. A data-over-voice system will be available on the 2011 Fiesta and upgrades to the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/SYNC/">SYNC</a> system are sure to make connectivity even easier going forward. Get all the details on the system, the teams and their creations after the jump.<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/04/fords-cloud-computing-future-starts-with-students/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Ford's cloud-computing future starts with students [w/video]</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/04/fords-cloud-computing-future-starts-with-students/">Ford's cloud-computing future starts with students [w/video]</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 04 May 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/04/fords-cloud-computing-future-starts-with-students/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19463369/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/04/fords-cloud-computing-future-starts-with-students/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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<br />
If you're even marginally interested in mobile technology, you know the future is in the cloud. Remote servers store your data, allowing you to access everything from contacts to music from a range of devices. That technology has largely been limited to mobile phones and PCs, but <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/ford/">Ford's</a> pioneering a new system that's set to connect the cloud to your car.<br />
<br />
Six teams of students enrolled in Cloud Computing in the Commute at the University of Michigan have partnered with Ford's Research and Advanced Engineering program to develop a handful of applications utilizing real-time vehicle data, GPS and social networking to create a connected in-car experience like no other.<br />
<br />
The software, dubbed "Fiestaware" and built atop Windows 7 and Microsoft's Robotics Developer Studio, allowed the teams to create services and software that utilize the vehicle's on-board internet connection to deliver a variety of information to the driver. <br />
<br />
Each team created an app they felt would best utilize the available services, and the programs included everything from a real-time fuel consumption tool to traffic alerts and point-of-interest sharing. All the programs were tested and honed by Ford's user interface engineers, and a panel judges from FoMoCo, U-M and Microsoft picked one app as the winner.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=108014259239935&index=1">Caravan Track</a> (pictured above) allows drivers to set a route on a website, track participating vehicles and send the driver hazard notifications, along with a host of other information. The team that created the program will get to test out their app on the road when they depart from Ann Arbor, MI on May 14th and drive cross-country to the Maker Faire in San Mateo, CA in a kitted-out <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/fiesta">Fiesta</a>.<br />
<br />
Judging by the pace of development and Ford's continued innovations in the infotainment space, expect similar cloud-based services to be included in future Blue Oval products. A data-over-voice system will be available on the 2011 Fiesta and upgrades to the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/SYNC/">SYNC</a> system are sure to make connectivity even easier going forward. Get all the details on the system, the teams and their creations after the jump.<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/04/fords-cloud-computing-future-starts-with-students/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Ford's cloud-computing future starts with students [w/video]</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/04/fords-cloud-computing-future-starts-with-students/">Ford's cloud-computing future starts with students [w/video]</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 04 May 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/04/fords-cloud-computing-future-starts-with-students/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19463369/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/04/fords-cloud-computing-future-starts-with-students/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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