Ford Innovate Mobility Challenge Series winners announced for Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai
Ford has announced the winners of its Innovate Mobility Challenge Series, for developing innovative solutions to mobility problems around the world. The Innovative Mobility Challenge Series is a part of Ford Smart Mobility, the first widespread implementation of the company’s long-term plan for sustainable mobility solutions. It included 11 global challenges that included delivering healthcare solutions in Tamil Nadu, providing real-time information to improve transportation during Monsoons in Mumbai, decrease time taken to get help after a traumatic incident in Delhi, busting traffic congestion in some of China’s most densely populated cities, and improving the delivery of goods and services in Portugal. Winners were announced by Ford President and CEO Mark Fields at the 2015 International CES.
Details of the winners of India-specific challenges are as follows:
Mumbai, India: With an often-crippling monsoon season that can leave commuters stranded, the Monsoon App Downpour challenge focused on leveraging vehicles and real-time information to improve transportation during inclement weather. Mumbai Monsoon Helper, developed by Khyati Majmudar from India: This Grand Prize winner combines such features as real-time weather and forecasts, information on the severity of flooding throughout Mumbai, and crowd-sourced information about conditions into a mobile app that can help commuters make smart decisions. Click here to know more about Khyati’s winning solution
Delhi, India: SUMURR Golden Hour invited developers to create applications that can decrease time-to-care within the critical Golden Hour after a traumatic incident. Flare, developed by Utsav Shah from India: This Grand Prize winner is an app that creates an opportunity for volunteers in the community to help others in times of need, while simultaneously working with Delhi authorities to improve medical outcomes. Click here to know more about Utsav’s winning solution.
Tamil Nadu, India: The SUMURR mHealth challenge focused on using information to improve the delivery of health services to remote regions accessible from Chennai. SimPrints Solutions for Community Health Workers, developed by Tristram Norman from the United Kingdom: This Grand Prize and Special Jury Prize winner connects healthcare workers to patient medical records with a fingerprint – enabling more informed decision making and improving medical outcomes. Click here to know more about SimPrints’ winning solution.
“Ford has been enabling personal mobility since day one,” said Fields. “Now, more than ever before, Ford’s open-innovation approach, new technologies and a globally connected network of developers are enabling mobility solutions at an unprecedented rate.”
The challenges span the globe, from The Americas to China, Africa, Europe, Australia and India. Prizes exceeding $200,000 (U.S.) will be awarded – as well as scholarships for entrepreneurial education in Argentina.
“One of the most thrilling aspects of the mobility challenges has been watching people come together from all over the world,” said Ken Washington, vice president, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering. “To see people in the United States getting involved with finding solutions in India or China, and vice versa, is a remarkable demonstration of what an environment of open innovation can accomplish.”