Ford and the UK Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) today (5 /12/00)
announced a joint venture aimed at accelerating the vehicle design process and
improving quality.
The joint venture, Holographic Imaging LLC, is a research and development company
formed to create a three-dimensional, interactive imaging workstation prototype.
The new technology has the potential to save millions of dollars in design and
development costs for new vehicle platforms, while also bringing new products
to consumers faster.
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The technology, under development by DERA, will be used to create full-scale
virtual digital models of prototype vehicles. The joint venture will streamline
vehicle design processes by reducing the reliance on hard models, give developers
the ability to redesign features in real time and the capability to hold multiple
design reviews simultaneously.
"The new company’s focus is to develop a three-dimensional design tool
which can be used to accelerate and simplify product development and design
processes," said Neil Ressler, vice president, research and vehicle technology
and Ford’s chief technical officer.
"DERA’s long history of innovation as the largest R&D organization
in Western Europe makes this partnership a revolutionary step by Ford."
The joint venture also will have the potential to tap into other business and
growth opportunities, such as participating in attractive new businesses in
automotive and non-automotive fields as a licensor or equity partner. These
include applying the technology to other fields such as aerospace, entertainment,
medical imaging, oil and gas industry, industrial design and marketing.
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By GlobalData"This three-dimensional imaging technology allows for much earlier review
of proportion and stance, gives us the ability to look at multiple solutions
and modify them in real time by just moving our hands in space, and provides
relatively quick means to assess and improve our craftsmanship quality,"
said J Mays, Ford’s vice president, design.
"Imagine being able to project a three-dimensional instrument panel in
full-scale and view it from behind the wheel or the passenger seat and obtain
customer feedback months earlier than we can get today. This will be possible
with this technology."
Ford has been collaborating with DERA on research into interactive three-dimensional
holography since 1997. A system based on this technology will enable true, three-dimensional
virtual models of vehicles, components and fully interactive systems that can
be used by design, engineering and marketing staffs. Jaguar began working with
DERA in 1996 on night vision systems.
Both Ford and DERA will retain equal stakes in the new company, while they
continue to explore joint commercialisation opportunities with other companies.
The new company will be based in the US.
