In a soon to be published survey, Gartner reports that 46 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds would choose Internet access over having their own vehicle.
“The car used to be the signal of adulthood, of freedom,” says Sheryl Connelly of Ford. “It was the signal into being a grown-up. Now, the signal into adulthood for teenagers is the smartphone.”
“Mobile devices, gadgets and the Internet are becoming must-have lifestyle products that convey status,” explains Gartner’s Thilo Koslowski. “In that sense these devices offer a degree of freedom and social reach that previously only the automobile offered.”
Connected cars may help change this emerging trend — cars that can take pictures and make calls and interact with social networks.
“In other words, to entice teenagers, Ford and other automakers need to make their cars more like smartphones,” suggests The New York Times.
Technology is now “an experience” on the Ford Evos Concept car, unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show last week.
This cloud-connected vehicle knows all about your preferences, health, work schedule and much more. As a plug-in hybrid it can also “run as a full electric for at least part of its 500 mile total range,” reports Engadget.
The car polls your work schedule, traffic and weather information to determine when your alarm at home should wake you to get you on the road in time. It continues your cloud music from your home seamlessly. It suggests alternate routes based on last minute changes to your schedule. It alters the energy consumption, braking, suspension and steering based on the requirements of the road ahead.
Moreover, it adjusts the music to suit your preferences for a particular stretch of road. You can also share driving routes with your friends. The Ford Evos monitors your heart rate and pollution conditions and responds accordingly.
Ford recently demonstrated a “short-range” Wi-Fi network that allows vehicles to communicate in a private cloud with other vehicles.
One key application is to alert drivers of potential crash situations in time to allow them to respond. The cloud technology has significant advantages over radar systems.
The technology could also enable communication with a traffic management system to help avoid traffic jams, thereby saving time and fuel.
Ford hopes to have its intelligent car technology in production as early as 2013.