(Click here for a larger view of the Ford Work Solutions in-dash PC)The Ford Work Solutions in-dash computer (above),
first announced last year, was jointly developed with Fiat subsidiary
Magneti Marelli, and uses Microsoft's Windows CE-based
Microsoft Auto technology, according to Ford. Integrated into the vehicle's center stack, where a radio would normally appear, the computer offers the following features:
- A 6.5-inch "high-resolution" touch screen, with stylus
- Two gigabytes of memory
- An SD slot for additional memory
- A USB port
- Bluetooth
- A wireless keyboard and trackpad
Also included in the computer is GPS functionality, with software supplied by
Garmin, and "full, high-speed" Internet access via
Sprint's EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) Rev. A network. The latter provides a maximum burst downlink rate of 3.1 Mbps, a maximum uplink burst rate of 1.8 Mbps, and costs $50 per month, according to Sprint.
Ford's onboard computer uses Bluetooth to connect to its keyboard, mobile phones, and optional printer
Source: Ford Motor CorporationThe computer's Bluetooth capabilities let it connect not only to the included keyboard and trackpad, but also to an optional, "Ford-certified" wireless inkjet printer. In conjunction with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, the system offers hands-free calling, push-to-talk voice recognition, access to user phonebooks, and reception of text messages, Ford notes.
Also part of the system is the "Tool Link" asset tracking system, jointly developed with
Dewalt and
ThingMagic. This allows users to mark expensive tools, safety equipment, and other assets using industry-standard RFID tags, then program them into an inventory list. When the vehicle is running, RFID antennas mounted on the inside of the pickup's bed scan it continuously, according to Ford. If any inventoried tools are not found, the system will alert the driver via the in-dash computer screen.
Finally, the "Crew Chief" telematics and diagnostics system is said to deliver real-time vehicle tracking, linked to a web-based application that can be used by fleet administrators back in the office. As well as tracking the vehicle, Crew Chief interfaces with the vehicle's electrical architecture and can monitor numerous diagnostic functions, including tire pressure or check engine light codes. It can also be programmed to identify user-set alerts, such as unauthorized use of a vehicle or excessive idling.
Ford's announcement is particularly significant since the F-150 (right) has been America's top-selling vehicle for decades. In 2007, Ford sold nearly 2,000 F-150 trucks per day in the U.S., according to figures published by
Automotive News, outselling any other vehicle. Currently, despite a troubled economy, Ford's share of the pickup truck market is increasing, according to
an article published last month in the Washington Times.
BackgroundMicrosoft's
Windows CE for Automotive was first released in 1998, and has since evolved into a variety of product offerings. For example, in 2003 it was called
Windows Automotive (2003), and by 2006 it was known as
Windows Mobile for Automotive.
Unlike with many Microsoft products, however, naming is secondary, since the core technology is designed to be adapted by automaker customers and offered under their own brands. For example, the Windows CE-based software made its debut in Europe and South America on Fiat vehicles, where it is known as
Blue&Me. It was then released in the U.S. by Ford as
Sync, on passenger cars. Hyundai and Kia have also
announced plans to offer Microsoft technology on their vehicles in 2010, though we haven't heard what they'll be calling it.
Even though the auto industry is in dire straits, generally speaking, the addition of Microsoft technology has apparently helped drive sales. Ford, which first introduced Sync two years ago, says the technology is now installed in more than one million vehicles. In January, the automaker said it would
expand its system to include the following new elements:
- A GPS receiver, cellular modem, maps, and POI (points of interest) from Telenav
- "Data-over-voice" technology from Seattle-based Airbiquity that will apparently allow the system to work in voice-only service areas
- "Off board" voice recognition, enabled by relaying a user's voice to a portal operated by Microsoft's Tellme subsidiary
At the beginning of this month, meanwhile, Microsoft announced
Microsoft Auto 4.0, which it said will be available this spring to automakers. The new version offers a standard interface for broadcast radio tuners, CD playback and ripping support, and support for x86 processors such as the Intel Atom
Z530, Z510P, Z530PT, and Z510PT. (These new CPUs include integrated heat spreaders, work at up to 185 deg. F, and appear to be Intel's bid to compete with ARM in the automotive world.)
Neither Ford nor Microsoft has disclosed hardware specifics of the Ford Work Solutions platform. However, the Microsoft Auto 3.0 hardware reference platform has been based on Freescale's
i.MX31 SoC (system-on-chip), first shipped in 2006. The i.MX31 integrates an ARM1136 processor core along with a Java accelerator, a vector floating point math coprocessor, and a video processing engine that supports full-motion (30 frames/sec) VGA video. It also contains a host of system functions and peripheral interfaces (see
block diagram).
AvailabilityThe Ford Work Solutions technologies is available now as optional equipment on the F-150, F-Series Super Duty, and E-Series vans, and will be offered on the forthcoming Ford Transit Connect van, Ford says. The in-dash computer costs $1,195, Tool Link adds $1,120, and Crew Chief costs $380 per vehicle with a $20 monthly charge, according to the company.
More information on Ford Work Solutions can be found on the company's website,
here.
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