New Mustang unveiled on world’s tallest building in Dubai TRENDS

In an historic visit to the Middle East, Bill Ford spoke about the future of mobility in an ideal location: the modern, fast-growing city of Dubai. The event was co-hosted by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Ford MEA (Middle East and Africa), the Morning event that been held at Armni Hotel, Burj Khalifa in Dubai.



“Today we planted the Ford flag in the Middle East & Africa, an exciting, vibrant region that represents the final frontier for growth in the auto industry,” Bill Ford said.



Ford capped the live-action event by delivering the iconic pony badge to the 2015 yellow Mustang on the 112th floor of the skyscraper. The event were viewed live around the world on YouTube as well as by approximately 10,000 people gathered in the Dubai Downtown area, overlooking the Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa.



“Given how much I like cars, it may surprise you that I believe the auto industry needs to rethink its approach. The issue: ‘global gridlock’ fueled by worldwide population growth and increased prosperity,” he added.



“Today there are about one billion vehicles on the road worldwide. But with more people and greater global prosperity, that number is expected to double, and possibly double again, by 2050.”



He discussed how congestion is impacting high-growth cities, noting, Dubai’s road network has grown by 50 percent in the past eight years. “But you can’t pave your way out of the problem,” he added.



The potential impact of global gridlock, he noted, could be considerable – from economic prosperity and growth to how people access food and healthcare.



And while the situation is of great concern, Ford was quick to focus on solutions and highlight progress being made in a number of areas. In particular, he focused on the increasingly powerful onboard vehicle intelligence and wireless connectivity as significant developments. “When you link the vehicle to the world around it, you begin to attack global gridlock.”



And while global gridlock poses a significant challenge, Ford said that the auto industry could not stop there. “What if we could move from solving problems created by vehicles, to vehicles solving longstanding societal issues?”



He then shared a number of examples that Ford Motor Company is working on where new automotive technologies are enabling vehicles to play a role in solving non-mobility challenges.



For example: a Ford project in India that uses onboard connectivity to help aid workers provide medical care to expecting mothers in rural communities – by using the vehicle to collect and transmit medical data to a city-based doctor. As a result, the company has helped provide healthcare to more than 1,600 women and children; helped set up 27 health’s camps; and reached another 54 villages to facilitate maternal and child health awareness.



Ford also discussed how autonomous driving could help extend the “driving life” of the elderly – an issue of growing importance in developed countries with aging populations – and how it could improve their quality of life, and reduce some of the dependency on caregivers.



Ford remarked that, “As technology quickly evolves, we must push ourselves to look for new opportunities to solve bigger issues.



This is the next challenge before us. We must find ways that mobility can improve the human condition.” Finally, he noted that this challenge was a return to his roots, to a time when the car played a can-do, almost “heroic” role in our lives. “Once, the automobile represented possibility. I think we are there again.”