Euro NCAP Boss Visits Ford, Talks Intelligent Vehicle Standards

As you already know, American automaker Ford is working on advanced wireless systems that can allow vehicles to “talk” to each other to reduce crashes and congestion. The matter has caught the eye of world safety leaders, who are now looking to standardize the platform in question.

Europe’s most influential safety leader, Andre Seeck, is currently visiting Ford to discuss the matter. Seeck and Ford will thus talk about how to bring intelligent vehicle technology to global customers quicker and more affordably.

The president and chairman of the board of directors, European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), will tour Ford’s Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn and participate in discussions centered on intelligent vehicle research.

“Intelligent vehicle technology has the potential to significantly reduce crashes. We want to work with Ford and others who are leading development of this technology to harmonize the underlying standards and requirements on a global level,” said Seeck.

Ford researchers are developing advanced crash avoidance systems that use GPS technologies and advanced Wi-Fi signals, or dedicated short-range communications, on a secured channel allocated by the Federal Communications Commission to create intelligent vehicles that communicate with each other in traffic and help drivers avoid or mitigate crashes.

In addition to serving as president of Euro NCAP, Seeck also is head of Vehicle Technology with the German Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt).

“Dr. Seeck has strong influence on safety globally, so we are excited to work with him on this next frontier of safety,” said Jim Vondale, director, Ford Automotive Safety Office. “Ford has been a pioneer in safety technology for many decades. Now we are leading the development of crash avoidance technologies, including our intelligent vehicle research, to help drivers avoid crashes in the first place.”