Even a few years ago, practically no one had heard of the concept of a connected car. But as mobile phone technology became more prevalent, and with it car crashes predicated by drivers involved in calling, texting, and other activities that took their eyes off the road, it became clear that something had to be done to make these devices safer for users (who clearly couldn’t be counted on to act in their own best interest). First came Bluetooth, which allowed callers to talk and listen through the audio system in their car thanks to wireless connectivity. Then there was the addition of in-dash displays. And today, integrated systems like OnStar (GM) and Sync (Ford) are finding new ways to bring the many features that our phones provide (messaging, apps, online browsing, etc.) into our vehicles in a hands-free way. While Mercedes-Benz has taken the leap by teaming up with Apple to integrate Siri with their vehicle lineup, it seems that Ford is taking a different tack by targeting social networking and cloud computing.

In truth, Ford has already made leaps and bounds in the way of connecting their cars to current mobile technology, and they have virtually sent out the call to app developers that they are looking for partnerships to expand on their successes. It seems they have determined that cars will be the mobile computing devices of the future and they want to be on the front lines of that revolution. Frankly, they aren’t wrong. Think about how many people you’ve cursed on the roadways because they were looking down at their phone rather than at the road, perhaps texting or checking their Facebook wall. You may even BE one of those people. Wouldn’t you rather have a car that allows you to do searches, get directions, and engage in social networking without ever having to take your hands off the wheel or your eyes off the road? Of course you would! And Ford wants to provide that car.

To that end, they recently unveiled their B-Max model (set to hit the European market later this year) at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This is noteworthy for several reasons, starting with the fact that Ford eschewed the auto show circuit in order to bring their latest creation to a mobile technology exposition. And the reasoning behind the move is that the automaker wanted to show their dedication to making connected cars a staple of the automotive world in the years to come. They feel that this integration of technology into the driving experience will help to make roadways safer through the use of voice commands. But there are those that disagree.

With the addition of cloud technology to the driving arena, cars will soon be capable of tracking your calendar (to alert you on the road if a meeting has been cancelled, for example), routing you through traffic with real-time updates, checking your vitals (blood pressure, glucose levels, etc.), and of course, connecting you to social media outlets, other cars, and even the infrastructure. And soon this technology could be available on all Ford cars and trucks for sale across the globe. But proponents wonder if safety is a top concern. Voice commands may seem safe, but it’s still a distraction. And the issue of security is a concern as well, considering that hackers could easily use this technology to see where someone is (GPS), where they are going (calendar), and whether or not they are in poor health (easy target). Get the picture? To allay these fears, Ford has instituted an opt-in, opt-out policy for users. But they admit that one of the reasons they are looking to collaborate with mobile technology developers is to find ways to ensure that the personal information their users access on the cloud cannot be easily viewed by others. Looks like we have a ways to go, but Ford is definitely on top of it.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.