Ford Announces First Official Automaker App Developer Conference

LOS ANGELES -- July 31, 2014: Ford Motor Company announced today that it will hold the auto industry's first app developer conference on Sept. 8 as part of the Connected Car Expo taking place at Super Mobility Week, Sept. 8-11, 2014 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center. The conference will be followed by an overnight hackathon where developers will be provided data generated by Ford vehicles and from the City of Los Angeles to create innovative apps. Interested developers can enter their app ideas in the Connected Car-Connected City App Pursuit that kicks off in Las Vegas and ultimately concludes at the Connected Car Expo being held at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Nov. 18-20, 2014.

Ford Developer Conference – Sept. 8 Hackathon – Sept. 8-9 Connected Car-Connected City App Pursuit – Sept. 9-11 Pursuit presentations – Sept. 11 Finalists exhibit and winner announced during CCE at the LA Auto Show – Nov. 18-20 Ford is inviting developers interested in creating innovative apps that enhance or redefine the automobile's role in an overall connected life, to join the global Ford Dev team for a comprehensive review of the AppLink technology. Attendees will learn how to create in-vehicle feature sets and explore new capabilities presented with the availability of vehicle generated data.

"Major technology companies host annual developer conferences, but this is the first time an auto manufacturer has hosted such an event," said John Ellis, Global Technologist and Head of the Developer Program for Ford. "We are extremely excited to partner with the Connected Car Expo, CTIA and the City of Los Angeles, to leverage their combined audiences and data points to create groundbreaking apps."

Immediately following the developer conference, all developers are invited to participate in a 12 hour hackathon. Fifty eligible developer teams will be invited to compete in the Ford Connected Car-Connected City App Pursuit. In addition to the Ford vehicle data, hackathon participants will have access to the more than 200 data sets recently released by the City of Los Angeles (data.lacity.org) to create their apps. The city's Chief Innovation Technology Officer, Peter Marx, will participate in the event to provide unprecedented insight into Los Angeles' data sets, including examples of lessons learned with data including crime, collisions, airport traffic, mobility metrics, traffic counts and more.

Competing teams will receive additional on-site support from the Ford Dev team throughout the CCE event and will present their apps to a panel of expert judges on Sept. 11. Ten finalists will be invited to compete in the Pursuit finals, displaying their innovations during the Connected Car Expo at the LA Auto Show Nov. 18-20. The grand prize winner will receive a prize package including a feature announcement with Ford on stage at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show.

"Hosting CCE at both Super Mobility Week and the LA Auto Show provides industry leaders like Ford the opportunity to reach two distinct yet rapidly converging audiences," said LA Auto Show President, Lisa Kaz.

"Combining automotive industry experts with creative app developers at CTIA's Super Mobility Week is one of the best examples of the transformative possibilities of what we mean when we talk about the connected life. With Ford and the LA Auto Show's leadership, this effort will translate into a better and more technologically advanced driver experience, which ultimately means safer roads, reduced traffic and improved fuel efficiency," said Meredith Attwell Baker, President and CEO, CTIA.

The Connected Car Expo at Super Mobility Week is presented by the Association of Global Automakers. Global Automakers represents international motor vehicle manufacturers, original equipment suppliers, and other automotive-related trade associations. They work with industry leaders, legislators and regulators to create public policy that improves vehicle safety, encourages technological innovation and protects our planet.

Those interested in attending Super Mobility Week can purchase passes by visiting Super Mobility Week