I'm fascinated by the Quantified Self movement and the many resulting apps and apparatuses available. We can monitor everything from the number steps we take in a day to our sleep patterns. As I've continued checking it out, I see how this movement has cast an even wider net.

Recently, I read “Highway to Health” in Metropolis Magazine. Author Jade Chang explains that Ford has taken personal data to a whole new level by incorporating wireless technology into their vehicles to keep self-trackers connected while on the road. I thought I'd take a moment to share a rapid review of the article including what I liked, what I didn't like, and what this means for content.

What I Liked

Chang outlines Ford’s plan for the new future - where mobility and connectedness meet - to redesign the driving experience. The machine is in control - but not in a scary, futuristic robot sort of way.  Chang notes that “a focus on health and wellness within the car is at the center of their (Ford’s) new approach”.  The new future is about practicality and connectedness rather than the flying cars of our collective imagination (think the Jetsons). Ford has modeled their new cars to match the needs of their “changing customer base” to make the experience of mobility more enjoyable, safer, and more productive.

I was most interested in Ford’s response to the aging of our population. The article notes

 

In less than 20 years there will be more people over the age of 50 than under the age of 20, thanks to increased life expectancy and declining fertility rates.

 

In contrast, those who are younger are not as interested in mobility. Their lives are more about connectedness to content and people through technology, rather than taking to the open road.

 

“In less than 25 years, the number of 16-year-olds getting driver’s licenses has dropped almost 25 percent; meanwhile, the share of miles driven by those under the age of 30 who do have licenses has fallen in recent years.

 

So, how did Ford respond to all of this information and the insight it provides? They took these statistics to heart and innovated the car to

  • make older people more comfortable and safer behind the wheel.
  • keep younger people constantly connected.

As I said, fascinating.

What I Didn’t Like

One thing about constant connectedness has me worried. On the surface, the car being a “mobile communication environment” sounds useful. It’s very practical to monitor the pollen count outside the car if you're an allergy sufferer. That’s a true benefit of connectedness.

But, in the not-so-distant future, a day could look something like this, predicts Gary Strumolo, manager of vehicle design for Ford’s research and innovation division:

 

Imagine you had an eight a.m. meeting, so you set your alarm for six a.m. and went to bed. If your meeting’s cancelled, it’ll change your alarm to seven. It can set the temperature in the car. If you’re listening to Pandora in the house, it will migrate to the car—we’ll use personal data to add seamless enhancements.

 

I wonder whether this new future will alienate people from the outside world? You can take your bubble of information, or content, with you everywhere, but it takes some of the thought and interaction out of the everyday routine. I worry about people being completely absorbed by their inner world...

What Does This Mean for Content?

Technology has made our future less Jetson-like and more focused on content than I ever expected. In a world where drivers will be able “to transmit and receive medical information via their vehicles," our audiences will be expecting that same connection to content at every digital touchpoint in their lives. I think we'll need to go beyond providing statistics; our audiences will want to know what all this content we’re collecting and transmitting actually means.

Also, I'm inspired by the example Ford sets in responding to their audiences, or customers. Ford is balancing the health challenges of an aging population with the connection needs of younger people. In the process, Ford is creating an innovative driving experience that depends on content. Whether we're working on the driving experience, a website, or some other touchpoint, we have to know our diverse audiences, anticipate their unique needs, and meet those needs with smart (even innovative) content decisions.

Read the Article

Don't miss “Highway to Health” by Jade Chang.