Ford Helps Drivers See Invisible Pedestrians With Bluetooth Low Energy
New models of Ford vehicles will be equipped with technology that will allow drivers to recognize the presence of a pedestrian in dangerous proximity, even if he is out of sight.
Ford says the technology is based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals, which have become ubiquitous in modern devices due to their low power consumption and long range. The mobile application that Ford is currently working on will transmit information about the location of their owners – pedestrians or cyclists – to company vehicles equipped with an on-board SYNC system.
Bluetooth Low Energy technology is widely used in personal electronic devices, including smartphones, fitness monitors, location-based services, and more. It has low power consumption and dime-size batteries can last for a very long time.
Ford has not yet said how far a pedestrian can be detected and how long the driver will have to respond quickly.
The technology can work with the help of an application due to 5G from T-Mobile. This replaces Bluetooth Low Energy with 5G. T-Mobile’s 5G network helps minimize round-trip data travel time, allowing alerts to be delivered quickly to the vehicle’s screen.
The automaker said the new feature is meant to complement, not replace, the Co-Pilot360 driver assistance system. The safety package includes options such as automatic lane keeping and blind spot assist.
