Bangkok--11 Jul--Hill Knowlton Strategies
· New AppLink partnerships – including China and Thailand – adds to portfolio of compatible apps that drivers can easily control with voice controls via the SYNC system
· Ford's Smart Mobility Panda Dynamic Shuttle experiment aims to make shuttle bus services more efficient with a flexible scheduling tool to optimize the routes and schedules of a fleet of Ford Transits in Dalian, China
Today at Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai, visitors will experience first-hand the continuing intersection of automobiles and technology, with announcements from Ford around innovations to deliver mobility solutions to people all over the world.
Ford announced new AppLink partnerships in China and Thailand – in order to bring consumers' favorite apps behind the wheel with SYNC voice commands. Another highlight is Panda Dynamic Shuttle that uses a flexible scheduling tool to optimize the routes and schedules of a fleet of Ford Transit buses in Dalian, China.
"The work we're doing in Dalian With Panda Shuttle and our new AppLink partnerships showcase a key element of Ford Smart Mobility worldwide: tailoring mobility solutions to the unique needs of consumers in cities all over the globe," said Larsen. "Working with partners gives us local expertise and enables us to deliver more effective mobility solutions wherever they're needed."
New SYNC AppLink partners for China, Thailand
With SYNC AppLink, Ford drivers can control compatible smartphone apps with voice controls, enabling a unique, personalized experience in the car.
For drivers in China:
· Umetrip: An air travel companion app, Umetrip tracks users' flight schedules and displays real-time flight information accessible via voice or on the in-vehicle display. This includes delays, cancelations, weather changes, and departure and arrival times. Outside of the vehicle, the app supports virtual check-in and doubles as a boarding pass.
· Kaichewenwen (Android) / Chumenwenwen (iOS): A voice-controlled, Chinese-language virtual assistant that integrates location-based services, GPS navigation, flight, rail and hotel bookings, job and housing listings, event and movie ticketing, weather, social sharing, and more. Inside the vehicle, customers can ask for music, navigation to an address or point of interest, weather information, and more with natural language recognition.
And for drivers in Thailand:
· Joox Music: The most popular music app in Thailand, with over 10 million users, Joox Music allows for streaming services and lets users download their favorite songs for offline listening.
Panda Dynamic Shuttle in Dalian, China
Together with Panda Shuttle, an established shuttle bus company in Dalian, China, and Tsinghua University, Ford developed a scheduling tool to provide more flexible and effective transport services during periods of high and low demand. The Panda Dynamic Shuttle project employs an algorithm in Panda Shuttle's mobile app to enable the company to more dynamically schedule the stops and routes of a fleet of Ford Transit shuttle buses.
The Panda Dynamic Shuttle offers services for three different conditions: During rush hours when demand is at its peak, throughout the mid-day lull when demand is lower and late at night when public transportation is limited.
During peak hours, the shuttles run on a fixed route similar to a traditional bus, but with a few key differences. Users can book seats on the shuttle buses in advance, specifying where they will get on and off, which enables the buses to only stop when necessary. Like regular public buses, the Ford Transits are permitted to use lanes reserved for Dalian's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and any of the city's 20 bus-only lanes. But because the shuttles only make an average of six or seven stops per trip – compared to 13 stops for regular buses – and because the shuttles choose routes based on user requests, they can complete a circuit 35 percent faster than a public bus.
During off-peak hours between the morning and evening commutes, the service operates in two key areas without a fixed route, and bases its movement on bookings in the app, similar to a ride-hailing service. In the evening, after Dalian's public transportation has shut down for the night, the Panda Bus Dynamic Shuttle continues to operate. The Ford Transit shuttles run similar routes to standard daytime bus services, but with flexible stops depending on customer needs. At all times of the day, the app also displays the real-time locations of the shuttle buses, a key piece of information for travelers, particularly late at night or for those in a rush.
"A key goal of this experiment is to see how we can use existing resources more efficiently," said John Larsen, director, Ford Smart Mobility, Ford Asia Pacific. "We're learning that by offering different models of service at different times, based on the amount of people looking for a ride and their location, we're able to deliver a more effective transportation service."