American automobile giant General Motors has recognized the utility of engaging in blockchain-based projects and does not want to be left off the party. On Monday, the company made the news thanks to a futuristic announcement.
GM is looking to develop a blockchain network that can manage data from future fleets of automated vehicles. The piece of news was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and details how automated (self-driving) cars can be able to store all their data with the help of the distributed ledger.
The mentioned data would be able to be shared among people in the blockchain, according to the project developed by GM Global Technology Operations LLC. It would be especially useful in navigation.
“It is desirable to provide locations information and densities of vehicles in regions in an online blockchain ledger for interoperable information sharing between vehicles of participants for using in navigating routes,” the document reads.
An Innovative Approach for Data Sharing
General Motors is also proposing data sharing between different independent platforms: for instance, data can be stored, shared, and distributed in an all-inclusive network with agents such as local authorities, airports, and others. Such a system would, according to the document found in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, help assess the “validity of permits and licenses to operate as hacks, taxis, or other for-hire services.” It means that vehicles can be ticketed to help them publish their data in a blockchain administrated by a public authority. Payments such as tools, parking, and other situations can be tied to the system, according to the filing.
General Motors has made no secret about its investments and focus on autonomous vehicles, having announced back in March that they would start making these cars by next year. Another area of interest regarding the automobile firm is the blockchain, as it is evident by its alliance with BMW to establish the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI) with the intention of “pushing innovation in the blockchain-auto space,” according to Coindesk.
While details about GM’s intentions and plans regarding the use of the blockchain technology in offering enhanced security for distributing important data between automated cars and other entities, the application was initially submitted in May.
A Little More about General Motors
One of the biggest and most successful automobile manufacturing companies in the United States of America and the whole world, General Motors, often shortened to GM, is a multinational corporation with headquarters in the city of Detroit.
Since 1908 (an astonishing 110 years ago) it has been designing, manufacturing, marketing and distributing all kinds of vehicles and their parts. The original founder was William C. Durant, as a holding company.
GM is known within the industry as the largest American automobile manufacturer, and it is ranked No. 10 on the Fortune 500 list of the biggest U.S.-corporations by total revenue. The company makes vehicles in 37 nations and owns brands such as Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet, Wuling, Buick, GMC, Baojun, Holden, and Jiefang. Each one of them manufactures different types of vehicles that range from city cars, trucks, luxury automobiles, and others.
By Andres Chavez
