The ride-sharing app Uber is getting so popular that it’s already inspiring companies. Recently, Ford Motor Co. announced that they will launch a smartphone app, similar to Uber, so their employees can get around the company’s offices and buildings in Dearborn.
According to The Detroit News, the service, called “Dynamic Shuttle” will be used with four customized Ford Transit vans, expected to carry around 300 employees per day.
There’s an app for that!
In order to use “Dynamic Shuttle”, employees need to open the app, simply select the building where they want to go and their current location, then wait for their ride. An algorithm, similar to the one used by Uber, detects which one of the four cars is the closest to them and tells the driver where the passengers to pick are.
Currently, Ford Motor Co. is using a shuttle service, but it functions a bit differently. To be more specific, employees need to call a number and a dispatcher connects them with rides.
“Dynamic Shuttle is a major step forward on Ford’s mobility journey, which is designed to lead the company to develop truly innovative and disruptive ideas for diminishing traffic congestion and making public transit more convenient and accessible,” said vice president of Ford research and advanced engineering, Ken Washington.
The four customized Ford Transit vans were designed after a research was made at the Ford Motor Co. facilities from California and United Kingdom. They are equipped with Wi-Fi, so the employees can access the Web on the go. They also have a center aisle, like in a bus, so people can easily get in and out of their seats.
Ford has even bigger plans for the service
Of course, the project wasn’t designed just for Ford Motor Co.‘s employees, as the carmaker is aiming to sell the project to other companies, with larger campuses or multiple locations.
