Hoping to tap cutting-edge technology and talent, Ford Motor will join the ranks of carmakers that have opened research centers in Silicon Valley, the company announced Friday.
Ford's move follows General Motors and a host of foreign carmakers that already have local outposts with researchers working on new advances in automotive technology, emphasizing computer science and Internet communications.
Silicon Valley also is the home of electric-carmaker Tesla Motors, but automotive research here goes beyond the development of batteries and vehicles that run on alternative power.
"Obviously, a lot of trends are being born here. The car companies want to get to know about these trends as early as possible," said Sven Beiker, executive director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University.
For example, a recent report from the Gartner tech research firm predicted that by 2016, many consumers will consider whether a car has "in-vehicle Web access" as a key criterion for deciding on a new automotive purchase. Other experts say cars will increasingly rely on Internet connectivity to deliver information and services to their owners. The Internet also will be key to collecting and analyzing a variety of data on engine performance, traffic and even weather.
Ford plans to open its new research office in Palo Alto in the first quarter of this year, according to a statement from the company. Ford CEO Alan Mullally is expected
to discuss the company's plans in detail during a speech at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week.The company would not disclose the size or exact location of its planned Silicon Valley outpost. A spokesman said it is likely to employ fewer than 50 people or "about what you'd expect from a startup."
In a statement, Ford said the center will focus on research topics such as the use of open-source software and hardware to develop new services, and use of sensor data from individual vehicles to track weather and road conditions.
"Silicon Valley represents a deep and dynamic technology neighborhood and is far from Dearborn," the Michigan city where Ford is headquartered, said K. Venkatesh Prasad, a Ford research executive who will oversee the Palo Alto office.
By locating in Silicon Valley, he added, "our new lab will allow us to scout new technologies and partners in their own environment."
Similar thinking has led other car companies to open offices here, according to Beiker, whose program at Stanford works with industry partners to study the future of the automobile.
General Motors, which is Ford's chief U.S. rival, also has an advanced technology office in Palo Alto, while Volkswagen recently moved its Electronic Research Laboratory from Palo Alto to larger quarters in Belmont. BMW has a technology office in Mountain View, and Beiker said several major Asian car manufacturers also have offices or researchers based in the area.
Contact Brandon Bailey at 408-920-5022; follow him at Twitter.com/BrandonBailey.
Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5708910798&f=378
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