Ford tested fleets of vehicles in Spain, the UK, and Germany. Hybrid cars reduce polluting emissions automatically.
Some research conducted from manufacturer Ford shows that new technologies such as blockchain and geofencing (services based on geolocation) can mix-up with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to improve air quality in cities.
Ford presented the results of the investigation by a post on its website. There, they note that the findings follow an extensive three-year study of the potential for commercial PHEVs to help cities solve air quality challenges.
The research is carrying out through a program through which they collected more than 400,000 kilometers of data. They used Ford Transit and Tourneo PHEV cars, which were deployed in municipal and commercial fleets in London, UK; Cologne, Germany; and Valencia, Spain.
In those three cities, blockchain was used to monitor the times that a vehicle entered or left a geofenced area, checking that the two technologies operated together correctly.
When Ford’s connected PHEVs entered these constantly fluctuating zones, they automatically switched to low emission mode based on local air quality, taking this decision away from drivers. Air quality for citizens automatically improved, making it easier for vehicles to comply with local restrictions.
The note especially highlights the final results with the municipal fleet of Colonia, where there was more evident and better complementation between blockchain and geofencing.
The time a test car entered or exited a geofenced area, it gets a record on a blockchain, storing the “green miles”. This recorded data could then be shared between relevant parties, such as city authorities and fleet owners.
Ford’s publication also highlights the pilot tests that took place in Valencia. He adds that, in this city, as well as in Cologne, the research program, which began in London in 2018 concluded this year. In all the cities, Ford received financial support from the local authorities.
Among them, they mentioned the Generalitat Valenciana; and the Center for Advanced Propulsion and Transport for London, funded by the UK government.
“With our latest studies in Cologne and Valencia, we have demonstrated the additional sustainability and compliance benefits that connected technologies like geofencing and blockchain can bring to cities, citizens, and operators.” Mark Harvey, Director of Business Connectivity, Ford of Europe.
Ford Vehicles and other Experiences with Blockchain
The results mentioned above are useful for some cities in Europe, where low emission zones have been established in which highly polluting vehicles have restricted access.
In these cases, hybrid vehicles have an advantage because emissions can vary when switching between electric and combustion engines.
It is worth noting that this pilot program is not Ford’s first experience with so-called blockchain technology. Since 2018, Ford Company along with other large car manufacturers, such as General Motors and BMW, have been testing blockchains.
That year the three companies joined auto parts manufacturers and insurance companies to create a consortium that studies the application of blockchain in the automotive sector.
By: Jenson Nuñez.
