Ford's open source OpenXC platform as gateway to future high tech car gizmos

Torque News ^ | 20 February 2012 | David Herron

[Squawk 8888]

Because we all know that there aren’t already enough gizmos to distract the driver.

[kidd]

I have to disagree with most of everyone here.

This is a brilliant move by Ford.

An open platform is the reason why Microsoft was beating Apple for many years, despite an inferior product. It allowed third parties to introduce a wide variety of applications.

The applications for the car may or may not interfere with one’s ability to drive. I’d guess that the more popular applications will actually improve on your ability to drive:
- voice activation
- heads up displays
- live traffic reports
- live gas station reports (”where is the cheapest gas within 5 miles?”)

I think it is great that Ford recognizes that it doesn’t have a monopoly on ideas and brains. This will only enhance the desire to own a Ford.

And if you don’t trust the add-ons (the gizmos)...then you don’t have to buy them.

[Notary Sojac]

My idea of the "displays" and "gizmos" I want to see when driving is more like this!!

(1938 Aston Martin, and sadly, no, it is not my car)

>

[Citizen Tom Paine]

I wonder what that baby will cost?

Why doesn’t Detroit/Japan/Germany build a car like we used to have that gave 40 to 60 mpg with a simple carburatored engine? Similar to the old Honda Civics and others.

The new cars don’t give as high a mileage as my old ones. Check some 1968 mileages.

[zeugma]

As one who writes numerous programs for micro-controllers I would not pick “Bug Labs” for my company’s name. That is just so wrong.

While the name may seem a bit weird, it makes more sense if you consider some of the things they make. Bug Labs has some really cool stuff for folks involved in robotics.

I really like this entire concept. I can think of many different types of apps that you could use to do different trivial things, but also some to make you a better driver. Imagine being able to record acceleration curves, deceleration curves, mileage info, and things of that nature. You could record a profile, and if your car notices a deviation from a specified profile, it could indicate future mechanical difficulties way ahead of time.