Voting Opens to the Public for Ford Personalized Fuel-Efficiency App Challenge

• Mobile and Web-based apps that take advantage of vehicle data gathered through OpenXC to help drivers improve their personal fuel efficiency will be eligible for $50,000 in cash prizes, including a $25,000 grand prize and a $1,000 popular choice prize

• $50,000 cash prize to be shared by creators who win the Personalized Fuel-Efficiency App Challenge; visit http://ford.challengepost.com to vote and learn more

• At the end of the public voting period, the votes will be tallied and verified to determine the Popular Choice award winner

Voting has officially opened for the OpenXC Personalized Fuel-Efficiency App Challenge, and the creativity of the developer community that participated knows no bounds. From vehicle data-driven Piggy Banks to audible games that encourage careful driving behind the wheel, over 20 applications will be voted on by a qualified judging panel as well as the public for a chance to share $50,000 in cash prizes.

The Personalized Fuel Efficiency App Challenge was announced in April at the New York International Auto Show by Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president of global marketing, sales and service and Lincoln, with the goal of providing drivers with tools that show how they are using fuel and where they can save.

“The flexible nature of OpenXC makes it ideal for user-innovation and has attracted participating developers to submit novel methods of solving for personal fuel efficiency,” said K. Venkatesh Prasad, senior technical leader of Open Innovation within Ford's Research and Innovation department. “Our judges will have their work cut out for them.”

In addition to the apps submitted by developers, Ford also offered the opportunity to non-developers to participate by challenging them to submit ideas for the apps they would like to see developed. The top ideas will win $100 each.

While voting is open for anyone to participate in determining the winner of the Popular Choice award and a $1,000 cash prize, the grand prize of $25,000 will be decided by a judging panel that includes executives from Ford, Microsoft, and Shell.

“We started this competition by asking the question ‘What type of personal fuel-economy app would allow you and your car to get to know each other better and enhance your ownership experience?’,’ said Prasad. “With the OpenXC Fuel Efficiency App Challenge, I think we are closer to finding out.”

Learn more about the Fuel Efficiency App Challenge at http://ford.challengepost.com.