Not too far from where factory workers assemble Ford cars and trucks, analytics experts in the company’s Research and Innovation Center are building something entirely different but equally important: complex mathematical models to help Ford sharpen its competitive edge while limiting its environmental impact.
Launched 15 years ago as a small cadre of researchers, the group’s size and impact on Ford has grown considerably while its mission is unchanged – chart a path for the company to a cleaner, brighter, better world and stronger business.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Ford now ranks among the greenest brands in the world,” said John Viera, global director of sustainability and vehicle environmental matters. “The company’s investments in the field of big data analytics have continually increased during the last 15 years.”
Viera outlined Ford’s use of analytics and big data as part of a panel discussion today at the 2013 Net Impact conference in San Jose, Calif.
The group, comprised of scientists, mathematicians, computer modelers and other researchers, uses the latest in analytics and big data to discover ways to minimize Ford’s environmental impact and bolster its bottom line by identifying potential risks and opportunities. Here are some examples of the work the group has accomplished: