Ford Develops System to Find Problems in Car

After years of research, Ford Motor Co. says it has developed a computer diagnostic system that hooks up to an automobile’s on-board computer to analyze the car’s problems and suggest possible repairs.

The Service Bay Diagnostic System, announced Friday by Ford at a University of Michigan automotive seminar, has been an advancement long studied in the U.S. auto industry since on-board computers were introduced in the late 1970s. These computers, some no larger than a cigarette package, run a car’s engine, electrical, climate control and audio systems.

Ford said the system will be available to its dealers in late 1990. It is believed to be the first such diagnostic tool that will be used by all dealers of a U.S. auto company.

SBDS could mean $150 million in business for its developer, Hewlett-Packard of Palo Alto. Lee Miskowski, general manager of the Ford Parts and Service division, said the new system will cost $30,000 each.

Each of Ford’s 5,000 U.S. dealers must purchase some form of the system, although Miskowski said a smaller version might be developed for dealers with lower volume.

The SBDS hooks up to a vehicle’s on-board computer through a direct data link. It provides service technicians with information about a car’s problems and offers possible repair solutions and technical information.