Exponential population growth means more people are living in cities. Automaker Ford (F) notes that “the Global Middle class will double in size by 2030 from 2 billion to 4 billion,” meaning the demand for effective commuting solutions is becoming ever more urgent.
According to a recent article published by Bloomberg Business, Ford wants to “harness the ‘brilliant ideas’ of the gaming community to help drive positive change in the behavior of commuters.”
Ford’s statistical research reveals “47% of people today like using their smart phone to plan their journey.” To level the playing-field, the carmaker has turned to the people most used to dealing with complex systems in the digital realm: game developers. Ford believes game developers could provide complex mobile solutions to engender change in a system that desperately needs innovation.
Announced during Gamescom week, Ford’s “Smart Mobility Game Challenge” is looking for “all kinds of game design students and young professionals to create mobility solutions that incorporate different modes of transport that provide a seamless and stress-free journey for urban-mobility.”
What do game developers get out of this competition?
Ford is offering a €10,000 first place prize, €5,000 for second place, and €2,500 for third — and a place on-stage to have the winning ideas presented “to an international audience of experts at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 22, 2016.”
The outcome of this challenge could mean increased efficiency, ease, and joy gained from the inevitability of getting around in a cluttered world.