Ford calls for open source apps

Car manufacturer, Ford wants open source developers to create connectivity applications that can be used in conjunction with its cars, reports Cnet.

Ford and its partner, Bug Labs, unveiled OpenXC, a platform designed to allow third-party developers to create any number of open source hardware or software products that will interact with Ford's Sync system.

OpenXC, which is based on Bug Labs' Bug System, will allow users to create a personalised driving experience through add-ons like visual and audio feedback interfaces and environmental sensors and safety devices, according to Tech Crunch.

According to K Venkatesh Prasad, senior technical leader for Ford Research and Innovation, OpenXC is designed to create a platform that is open to the developer community, allowing engineers to offer in-car solutions to consumers.

While Bug Labs has teamed with developers and enterprises like Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and Pitney Bows to design and test innovative devices, Ford is said to be the first automotive original equipment manufacturer to collaborate with Bug Labs.

Red Orbit indicates Ford's researchers hope that lessons learned through OpenXC will help prepare the company for market conditions around the world, such as diverse local languages and dialects, fast-changing content preferences, and the need for app solutions.

For Bug Labs, involvement in OpenXC signifies a paradigm shift in the way automotive companies explore new ways to meet growing consumer demands.