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Conference Sustainability

November 2022

Conferences facilitate human engagement by providing opportunities for people to share ideas, receive recognition, and celebrate achievements. In-person conferences create environments for attendees to experience new destinations, and network face-to-face. Virtual and hybrid conferences have the potential to reach truly global audiences, bringing many more voices to the table, and furthering the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA).

In relation to implementation of the global plan for environmental protection, social inclusion, and sustained and inclusive economic growth, event planners should see themselves as agents of change. By adopting a sustainability ethos, and committing to purposeful event planning practices, their contribution to and impact on the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can be profound.

If you’re new to the game of event planning, navigating the uncharted waters of sustainability can feel a tad overwhelming. Rest assured, once you’ve seen just how many fantastic tools and resources are out there (many of them are free), you’ll be well on your way to building and implementing a sustainable conference strategy of your own.

Let’s get started.

Step 1: Define the purpose of your event & the legacy you want to leave

Before you dive into the operational aspects of your conference planning, you first need to clarify the purpose of your event, and articulate the legacy you want to leave. This strategic approach to regenerative, resilient, and responsible event planning helps you create value for your stakeholders in the short term, and delivers tangible, positive impact on both local and global communities in the long term. By consciously taking into account the economic, social, and environmental consequences of each strategic decision you make, you are well on your way to designing a meeting that matters. Once you know what you want your conference’s legacy to be, you can start building it.

Step 2: Get buy-in from the top to achieve your conference sustainability goals & ambitions

If your association doesn’t already have a clear sustainability strategy, you are going to need to initiate the conversation. We know how daunting the process of pitching ambitious plans for change can be. Especially when these changes will probably require a recalibration of priorities, and perhaps even a fundamental shift in mindset. Nobody likes change. Change is hard. But sustainability is about the collective, not the individual. And when it comes to the viability of your conference (and, by proxy, the association itself), developing a future strategy is necessary. The Copenhagen Convention Bureau has put together a handy step-by-step guide on how to hold a management workshop with top brass to discuss and, more importantly, agree on a clear path forward for you to be able to achieve your sustainability goals.

A smart, successful, sustainable conference has the power to elevate the value of the association it serves. Not only can it validate the association’s commitment to and impact on sustainable development, it can also help to attract and retain members, and open doors to new funding and sponsorship opportunities. A conference’s output has value far beyond the conference itself. For scholarly societies and associations, the content generated at a conference can live on in an accessible way for both members and the broader research community.

Step 3: Communicate with both internal & external stakeholders about your conference sustainability initiatives

Once your internal stakeholders are on board with your sustainability ambitions, that’s half the battle won. Now you need to turn your focus outwards, and communicate with your external stakeholders, to make sure everyone – including your members and suppliers – is aware of your new strategy. While change is hard, being blind-sided is worse.

Be open with your attendees about your sustainability ambitions. Let them in on your goals and objectives, share your plan and how you’re going to build on your sustainability efforts, so that they can see the effort, and understand where they can buy in and participate.

After the event, extend the longevity of your attendee engagement by sending them a quick round-up of stats, showing the tangible impact of their collective efforts. Thank them for their contribution, and for being agents of change. Also, don’t forget to validate the effort of all of those working behind the scenes – from your sustainability consultant or advisor, right through to the catering and clean-up crew.

When compiling the list of questions for your post-conference survey, make sure that your questions about various sustainability initiatives you implemented actually tie into actionable insights. If the feedback you receive from attendees won’t actually inform future actions (or non-actions) in your sustainability strategy, there’s little point in requesting it.

Step 4: Use impact measurement tools to amplify your conference sustainability accomplishments

What gets measured gets managed, and what doesn’t get measured is difficult to evaluate. When you can provide the management team with quantitative insights from the sustainability measurement tools you use, the impact of your efforts is amplified.

So how and where do you gather these valuable insights? Nowadays there are a plethora of tools for you to use (we’ll provide a curated list for you to sink your teeth into below). But before you actually start accumulating all this data, you’ll need to decide what information is actually necessary. For instance, do you expect to increase your net promoter score, increase discussion around a specific topic, increase sponsorship interest, and/or increase membership interest? The answers to these questions will help you compare the expected impact of your sustainability efforts against their actual impact. And these stats will not only allow you to benchmark against previous years’ impacts, but also help you make evidence-based decisions for future conferences.

If you’re using the right conference management software, the time it takes to finish your feedback task checklist will be significantly reduced. You can use your software’s communication hub to send out feedback requests at any stage to specific contact lists via email. You can also take advantage of many mobile app features to manage your mid-conference feedback process. For example, sending instant push notifications directly to people’s phones can increase the likelihood of them responding in real time to your in-app polls and surveys.

Step 5: Report on both quantitative & qualitative insights gained from your conference sustainability efforts

Besides adopting sustainable practices, the UN encourages organisations to “integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle”. Being transparent and specific about your sustainability practices, and having quantitative insights readily available to back up your claims, is key to building trust. Even if your impact in a certain area was, say, just 3%, that effort still counts. And you can only continue to build upon what those impacts are. It’s important to remember that this is about progress, not perfection. Every step towards sustainability, no matter how small, has merit. Do your best to tell your company’s sustainability story with integrity, and spare yourself from being tarred with the nasty greenwashing brush.

When it comes to compiling your post-conference report, be sure to include both quantitative and qualitative insights regarding your sustainability initiatives – from your impact measurement tools and your delegate survey. Don’t under-estimate the power of qualitative insights. In terms of social proof, and incentive for prospective members who share the same values, these mini testimonials can be worth their weight in gold.

Tools & resources

Completely virtual events are not net zero carbon because they still increase emissions from data storage, transmission, and devices. However, transitioning from in-person to virtual conferencing, where possible, can reduce your event’s carbon footprint by 94%, and energy use by 90%. And for a hybrid conference, with more than 50% in-person participation, a carefully selected hub can slash your event’s carbon footprint and energy use by two-thirds. Improvements in energy efficiencies of the ICT sector have the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of virtual conferences even further.

MeetGreen UnCarbon Calculator can quantify the carbon that you don’t use by choosing to hold your event virtually. With relatively few inputs, such as number of attendees, general travel information, and venue energy, they are able to produce a report using data about carbon impacts avoided in the areas of air travel, ground transportation, on-site energy generation, and accommodation.

Digital Event Carbon Calculator is a nifty tool that takes basic data such as your total event participants, event duration, event shipments and pre-recorded content, and gives you insights on your event’s digital carbon footprint.

Booking.com has introduced a filter that allows you to search for Travel Sustainable properties on its website and mobile app. The Travel Sustainable badge is available to any kind of property that has implemented a combination of sustainable practices that meet the requisite impact threshold for their destination. It’s designed to be applicable to a wide range of property types, and adaptable to local realities and considerations. The initiative – a first of its kind in the travel and tourism industry – is a credible, globally relevant sustainability measure that provides information in a transparent, consistent, and easy-to-understand way for consumers looking to make more sustainable accommodation choices.

Skyscanner has introduced a filter that allows you to search for Greener Choice flights. When browsing flights on the Skyscanner website, you simply check the “only show flights with lower CO2 emissions” box on the left side of the screen. In the Skyscanner mobile app, tap the filter and scroll down to “Greener Choice.” You may not always find flight results with less CO2 than average when you search, but Skyscanner is working closely with airlines and industry partners to continually improve their Greener Choice calculation and the data that powers it.

On the subject of aviation, we thought it was high time for a bit of myth busting. Did you know that the aviation sector produces less than 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually, while 6% of emissions come from food that is never eaten? Yes, you read right. Food losses and waste are responsible for three times more emissions than the entire aviation sector.

The number of international business and leisure tourists increased from 25 million in 1950, to more than 1.3 billion in 2017. And the UN’s World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) forecasts that the sector will continue growing 3.3% annually, which means that an estimated 1.8 billion tourists will cross borders annually by 2030. That is a staggering number of people moving about our planet for business, pleasure, and bleisure – with the latter probably applying to the travel plans of many conference attendees.

However, flights in 2022 look very different from those of 30 years ago. Your flight today will generate just 50% of the CO2 compared to the same flight in 1990. Through collaboration and commitment to addressing its environmental impact, the aviation industry has made significant strides in fuel and CO2 efficiency. This has been achieved through technological advancement and improvements in operations and infrastructure. And now a new generation of sustainable aviation fuels, which can reduce CO2 emissions by around 80%, are propelling the transition away from fossil fuels.

If we view international travel through the narrow lens of carbon emissions only, we miss out on the opportunities to do good with each trip we take. The income generated from both domestic and international tourism contributes significantly to the socio-economic and cultural development of many cities and their surroundings. When empowered to do so, local communities can enjoy the direct economic benefits of hosting visitors. So, if event planners are aware of and pay attention to proactively minimising any adverse effects related to pressure on the host city’s infrastructure, as well as mobility and congestion issues, residents and visitors can enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship.

More than 25% of all the food that is produced worldwide winds up being wasted by restaurants, retailers, and consumers, or spoiled and spilled in supply chains. In a world plagued by food insecurity, in both developed and developing nations alike, we find this statistic pretty hard to digest. The good news, however, is that reducing food loss and waste is one of the most effective actions we can all take to combat climate change. And sustainable conferences can play a significant role in shaping the narrative.

Food rescue involves the donation and redistribution of nutritious surplus food that would otherwise go to landfill sites. This is something you should be thinking about at the very beginning of your event planning, even including questions in your request for proposal (RFP). You should also communicate your goals with all stakeholders, from your suppliers to your attendees.

Nowadays, people are far more conscious of whether or not they waste food at an event. Besides the reputational goodwill you will garner from your food rescue plan, donating surplus food can have a very tangible impact on the lives of those less fortunate in the community where your event is held.

In terms of implementation, talk to the venue and caterer ahead of time about your goal to reduce food waste. You may find they already have systems in place to help you, for example through an existing partnership with an organisation like Dublin-based FoodCloud. The chef may also have suggestions for a sustainable menu based around seasonal (local) produce. Tell them you want to focus on quality, rather than quantity – fewer options but a high standard of food. Very often they will already be partnered with a community food programme, shelter, or food pantry. If not, the Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), European Food Banks Federation (FEBA), or Feeding America can connect you with a suitable NPO in the area.

This article contains a useful list of topics you need to address with your suppliers regarding the logistics for your food rescue plan, and some important considerations to bear in mind when it comes to food-handling safety. This would be a good time to point out that there has been a shift in legislation, not just in the US, but around the world to prioritise food donation. Designate a food point person to address all food-related issues, from identifying food that can be donated (versus re-used for your group), to logistics for the donation.

TRACE by isla is the definitive carbon measurement platform for sustainable events. The tool captures emission and waste data from live, hybrid, and digital events, generating impact reports in real-time. It helps you understand your impact quicker, and gives you insight into the environmental cost of your event. TRACE helps you capitalise on the data you’re already collecting and provides guidance on additional information you may need to generate your impact report. And you can take advantage of the in-app reduction tips and guidance to plan your next event with an even more positive environmental impact.

proseed by isla is the first universal best practice framework for the whole supply chain, to standardise how the events industry approaches sustainability. It’s a practical resource jam-packed with information, guidance, solutions, and actions you should take today to accelerate your sustainability journey. With downloadable templates for policies and planning, you can track your progress to demonstrate commitments and performance improvements, and show your stakeholders exactly how you’re practising sustainability.

Industry standards & certifications

Officially known as ISO 20121:2012, Event sustainability management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, ISO 20121 is an international standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The implementation of ISO 20121 is designed to offer benefits to all actors involved in the organisation of an event, and at all stages of the supply chain. Created as a practical framework for you to identify issues relevant to your context, it allows you to set targets and create action plans. It also allows you to monitor and measure your performance throughout the entire event management cycle.

ISO 20121:2012 also allows you to accommodate diverse geographical, cultural, and social conditions whilst focusing on sustainable procurement, reporting and transparency, and the social, environmental, and economic impacts of your event. It can be a useful tool to add credibility, by demonstrating that your conference meets the expectations of your members. ISO 20121:2012 can also strengthen relationships with your stakeholders who hold similar values, and enhance your reputation through the positive legacies from your event.

ISO 20121 should be implemented either as a stand-alone standard or integrated with your association’s existing management systems, such as ISO 9001 (quality) or ISO 14001 (environmental). For some associations, ISO 20121 certification may even be a legal or contractual requirement. While the International Organization for Standardization develops and publishes these standards, they don’t actually provide certification or conformity assessment. You’ll need to contact an independent certification body for that.

As part of their long-standing commitment to leading and accelerating transformation in the meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry, the Events Industry Council (EIC) recently released their updated 2022 EIC Sustainable Event Standards. These standards provide a strong focus on guidance and metrics. They provide you with a framework and transparent process to set and implement targets. Alongside the ability to establish and achieve community wide goals, drive ambition, and accelerate change. No matter what stage you’re at in your sustainability journey, you will have the support you need to adopt, implement, and measure industry best practices. To obtain certification, you’ll need to contact the EIC directly. Their fees are based on the complexity of your auditing requirements, and the size of your association or event.

For those of us who don’t have a master’s degree in carbon management, the Government of Ireland has come to the rescue with a super handy website, called the Climate Jargon Buster. It explains in layman’s terms all the common climate action concepts that are bandied about, which will have you sounding like a pro in sustainability discussions with your peers in no time. There are ‘Search by term’ and ‘Search by category’ features. Or if you prefer having everything in one place, you can download an alphabetically organised PDF.

Take small steps today, make a big impact tomorrow

Conference sustainability should never be an add-on or after-thought. Rather, it should form an integral part of your event design. But a word to the wise: Your conference sustainability journey is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to pace yourself. If you try to go too fast, you’ll run out of steam. You need to keep some energy and passion in reserve for the miles to come. Like the athlete Arthur Ashe once said: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” You may not have all the resources right now, but you always have enough to start from the point where you are standing.

Ford Enters Esports Arena

April 2020

From playing a quick game of Pac-Man on an arcade machine at the corner café, to becoming part of a hugely sophisticated digital ecosystem, gamers and gaming culture have come a long way over the past 40 years. Ford Motor Company, in collaboration with gamers, has now designed the ultimate in-game race car, which will soon be debuted on the virtual grid by Team Fordzilla, the automaker’s very own Esports team.

The popularity of competitive gaming, better known as Esports (electronic sports), has skyrocketed over recent years. What was once a niche gaming scene has been transformed into not only a mainstream form of home entertainment, but also a legitimate sport, recognised by the International Esports Federation’s (IESF) 60 member nations, including South Africa. In fact, South Africa’s national Esports team, competing over a number of games and platforms, has participated in every IESF World Championship since 2009.

According to the Business Insider Intelligence Esports Ecosystem Report 2020, “most projections put the Esports ecosystem on track to surpass $1bn in revenue for the first time this year.” But with a surge in online gaming globally during the unprecedented COVID-19 lockdowns, this projection may prove to be on the conservative side. And Esports could quite possibly become one of those industries which not only survives the pandemic, but thrives in its wake, as a new generation of avid online gamers is currently being born.

Ford, in collaboration with gamers, designs the ultimate in-game race car

Racing games have always been hugely popular. But not all racing games are created equal. There are three main categories, with varying levels of realism. From arcade racing games with little regard for realism, to hyper-realistic sim racing (simulated racing) games with a strong focus on physics and AI, and simcade (simulated-arcade) racing games somewhere in between, which are more accessible to the average petrolhead than full sim racing games.

‘Forza Motorsport’, which is available for Xbox One and Windows 10, and ‘Gran Turismo Sport’ which is exclusive to PlayStation 4, both fit into the simcade category, and are two of the world’s most popular racing games. And it is for these two simcade games that Ford Motor Company, in collaboration with gamers, has designed the ultimate in-game race car, which will soon be debuted on the virtual grid by Team Fordzilla.

Ford recruits gamers for Team Fordzilla

At Gamescom 2019 – Europe’s leading trade fair for the digital games culture which takes place annually in Cologne, Germany – Ford became the first automaker to debut a vehicle at the fair, revealing that its Ranger Raptor performance pickup would be coming to Europe.

Ford also took the opportunity to announce at the fair that it was recruiting gamers for Team Fordzilla. It has since established five Fordzilla national teams – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK – and from these teams, it has assembled a European all-star team, comprising the five team captains.

The two racing games in which Team Fordzilla will initially compete are ‘Forza Motorsport 7’ and ‘GT Sport’. And while there are already several new and classic Ford vehicles in each game’s expansive roster, it’s the brand new and exclusively virtual race car, code-named #TeamFordzillaP1, which Team Fordzilla drivers are understandably most excited about.

“We all love racing our dream cars but ultimately these are usually painstaking recreations of vehicles that actually exist in the real world,” said Angelo Bülow, captain of the German Fordzilla team. “It will be an absolute thrill to get behind the wheel of the Team Fordzilla P1 for the first time knowing that not only have we helped to create it but that no-one else has ever driven it before.”

Ford launches fun, interactive Project Hub for budding car designers

Among those closely involved in designing #TeamFordzillaP1 from the ground up were Ford of Europe’s Design Team – which imagines and designs human-centric cars for the real world – and expert gamers who lead the way in racing their virtual counterparts. This included the five captains of Ford’s national Esports teams, as well as motorsport fans in the wider gaming community whose input to Team Fordzilla was sourced via a series of Twitter polls around key design attributes – from engine layout to cockpit shape. Because this is an exclusively virtual race car, and not based on an existing real world Ford model, it is not constrained by any real world limitations like technology, practicality, or cost.

And now Ford has launched the publicly accessible Team Fordzilla P1 Project Hub, a fun and interactive space for budding car designers and gamers to find a few new ways of beating boredom or the blues whilst self-isolating during lockdown. Along with personal recommendations from Team Fordzilla captains on the latest video games you could try playing whilst housebound, the hub is packed with DIY creative content designed to unleash your inner Rory Byrne.

From never-seen-before #TeamFordzillaP1 exploration sketches by Ford’s designers, to a suite of print-friendly sketches ready for you to complete, as well as activities like dot-to-dot and paint-by-numbers, there’s bound to be something that catches your fancy.

Be sure to snap some photos of your bespoke liveries, sketches, and designs, and upload them to Twitter and Instagram with the tags @FordSouthAfrica @TeamFordzilla #TeamFordzillaP1

Ford Rallies to Bridge Literacy Gap

March 2020

On Saturday 7 March, several convoys of Ford Ranger double cabs, loaded with boxes of books, teaching aids, and other educational materials, set out from Nkambeni Safari Camp in the Kruger National Park to visit some of the most remote and disadvantaged primary schools in the Hazyview, Mpumalanga area.

It was Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa’s leg of the annual Rally to READ, a flagship programme of the READ Educational Trust, founded in 1998, and spearheaded by now retired McCarthy Motor Holdings CEO and philanthropist, Brand Pretorius.

A living legend in industry circles, widely acknowledged for his invaluable contribution to the growth and sustainability of the local automotive sector since the 1970s, Pretorius is also a proud father to three sons, and grandfather to seven grandchildren. Passionate about helping to change the narrative for those less fortunate, he continues to work tirelessly to ensure that the already most vulnerable members of society are not simply left to fall through the cracks.

“Education is a fundamental human right, and education in itself is an empowering right,” says Pretorius. “Equal opportunity and universal access to good quality education is one of the most effective tools by which economically and socially marginalised communities can lift themselves out of poverty and participate fully in society. Unfortunately, as we all know, the right to education doesn’t necessarily align with the reality of implementing that right.”

Millions of children around the world are still deprived of educational opportunities as a result of socio-economic and cultural factors . Here in South Africa, the most recent Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) found that 78 per cent of Grade 4 learners cannot read with comprehension , which inevitably means that many learners drop out of early high school. This is particularly prevalent in rural areas.

To mitigate this, Rally to READ – implemented by the READ Educational Trust with the assistance of the Rally to READ steering committee under the chairmanship of Pretorius, and made possible by donations from a multitude of South African individuals and corporates – provides support to the most needy of schools in rural areas.

Rallies take place in six school districts, across five provinces. Schools selected for support are provided with books, and specially constructed ‘box libraries’ to protect the books, during the initial Rally weekend. Each school is then supported for a period of three years, with teacher training and classroom support visits by READ field staff. The ‘box library’ stock is supplemented each new Rally year with more advanced reading material.

Teachers are also tutored on literacy and language methodologies by dedicated READ trainers. READ trainers monitor and mentor teachers and are, in turn, monitored and mentored by senior READ trainers, who quality assure the project. All READ trainers’ work is done in conjunction with the Department of Education’s subject advisers and school district offices.

Simply by equipping teachers with the tools and training they need to create print-rich classrooms and stimulating learning environments for the children, morale amongst teachers dramatically improves. And as the children’s reading and writing skills improve, so their confidence grows. Literacy gaps are bridged, and an increasing number of learners are now making their way confidently into high school, and even university.

Not only are strong literacy skills linked to higher Matric pass rates and university enrolment rates, but also higher emotional intelligence. Reading helps us to better understand other people and cultures, and make wiser choices regarding our role models and friendships and relationships – all essential skills for a young person to acquire and assimilate, especially during the crucial formative years.

From Grade 1 to Grade 3 we learn to read; from Grade 4, we read to learn. The more we read, the better we read. And the better we read, the more we learn.

All it takes for children to significantly improve their reading is daily practice. By reading books that interest them, for just 20 minutes every day, a child will see 1.8 million words in one year, while another child who reads for only one minute a day will see just 8,000 words in that same year.

This is why it’s so important for us to not only teach our children literacy skills in the classroom, but to ensure they have access to a wide variety of material to read for pleasure, outside of school hours. And this is what the Rally provides. By the end of the three-year Rally cycle, schools will not only have ‘box libraries’ filled with classroom resources, but also classrooms filled with independent readers.

“We couldn’t do what we do without the ongoing support of our loyal sponsors,” says Pretorius. “This year alone, Ford assisted us with an incredibly generous R1m donation to help us continue our work. But over and above that, we are also so very grateful for the logistical support they provide in their fleet of Ranger pickups, helping us to physically get the books and supplies to the schools, which are often in very difficult to reach locations. We’re talking wading through rivers sometimes, and climbing rocky roads that only the very toughest of 4x4s could handle.”

“It is our honour and privilege to support such a worthy cause,” says Ockert Berry, VP Operations, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa. “Our partnership with Rally to READ goes way back to 1999, and it’s an association of which we are extremely proud. Being a good corporate citizen has always been a core value of Ford, and our commitment to sustainability is a key part of who we are. We believe that by supporting communities and members of society who can’t support themselves, and providing opportunities so that they can better themselves, we will have a profound impact on the future of our country. And education is the foundation we all need for a lifetime of learning and work opportunities.”

“For us, coming on this Rally, and actually meeting the beneficiaries of the programme, is a very special opportunity,” he continues. “To share in the excitement of the book hand-over, to meet and engage with the teachers, children, parents and caregivers, and to see first-hand the tangible results of this programme – the very real progress that is made in the schools we support – is both humbling and inspiring.”

Interestingly, while reading practice can help a child compensate for, and even overcome, the challenges of being socially or economically disadvantaged, the equivalent lack of reading practice can actually reverse or erase the advantages of a child who comes from a privileged background , making the relevance of reading practice equally important for all children, from all walks of life.

Ultimately it is our responsibility as adults, and our collective duty as civil society, to provide all of our children – from all socio-economic backgrounds, in big cities or small villages, in every province across the country – with the opportunities they need to expand their minds and unlock their full potential.

“This Rally is not just about delivering books,” concludes Berry. “It’s about delivering hope. Giving these children, their families, their communities, and our country much-needed hope for the future.”

Ford Celebrates the History of Car Audio on #WorldRadioDay

February 2020

With a staggering array of public, private, and community stations providing listeners with audio content via analogue, digital, and internet platforms, radio is the most widely consumed broadcast medium on a global level today.

Commercial radio was first introduced in 1920, and made its way into cars in 1930. Historian Donald Matteson, who was curator of radio at the Henry Ford Museum, wrote a book called ‘The Auto Radio: A Romantic Genealogy’, chronicling the birth of car radio and its development over the ensuing decades, right up until 1987, that was, when the book was published.

“Considering just how much in-car audio has evolved since 1987 – when factory-fitted CD players were all the rage – it’s probably time someone wrote a follow-up book,” says Kuda Takura, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa spokesperson. “Better yet, it should be narrated and recorded in audio book or podcast format, so we can listen to it in our cars!”

Statistics show that we are living in an audio-first world. A recent study by iHeartMedia, the largest radio station group owner in the US, revealed that the average listener aged between 13 and 64 years consumes 17.2 hours of audio content per week – including radio, streaming, podcasts, and more – with Millennials and Gen Z consuming more than 2.6 hours of audio content every day.

Notably, 65 per cent of audio content consumption happens outside the home, most often in the car. And radio accounts for 65 per cent of that in-vehicle audio content consumption.

“In the connected car of today, however, audio is about so much more than just a way to listen to radio, streaming, or podcasts,” continues Takura. “Audio is now an integral part of car telematics, telecommunication, in-vehicle security, hands-free calling, navigation, and remote diagnostics systems.”

So when and where did it all begin? “In the 1920s, with radio-dispatched police cars,” says Takura. “In Don Matteson’s book, there’s an amazing photo taken in 1921 of the Detroit Police Department’s Walter Stick standing next to a Ford Model T patrol car with a massive antennae on its roof, and a one-way radio set installed on the back seat.”

In 1930, the American Galvin Manufacturing Corporation launched the world’s first commercially available in-car radio called the Motorola – a combination of the words ‘motor’ and ‘Victrola’ – the brand name of a very early record player. At $130, it was expensive – the contemporary Ford Model A cost $540 – as well as complicated and time-consuming to install.

“It was only when Ford began offering factory-fitted Motorola AM radios in its new cars coming off the assembly line in 1933 that in-vehicle audio really took off, and soon became an auto manufacturing industry standard,” says Takura.

In 1952, German company Blaupunkt launched the world’s first car-ready FM radio. And a year later, Becker’s Mexico launched an AM/FM radio which would become the vehicle standard for many years to come.

“Back then, in-car audio was what you listened to on the frequency you tuned into on the airwaves,” continues Takura. “Your listening experience was left to the mercy of radio hosts and DJs. But thanks to continued advances in technology, it was only a matter of time before we could start enjoying a more personalised, customisable way of listening to music on the road. From 8-tracks to cassette tapes, CDs, MP3 players, and smartphones containing our entire music collection which connects seamlessly to our cars, we can now literally curate the soundtrack to our life. It really is incredible how far we’ve come.”

Audio continues to drive innovation in the auto industry and is the main vehicle for the seamless integration of new technologies. The latest generation of Ford’s award-winning SYNC® 3 infotainment system is at the cutting edge of this exciting space, delivering next-level connectivity.

Supported by a stylish floating colour touchscreen that can be operated with pinch and swipe gestures, and fitted as standard on the mid-range Trend and range-topping Titanium models of the EcoSport – Ford’s hugely popular baby SUV; currently the third top-selling passenger vehicle in the country (NAAMSA, January 2020) – SYNC® 3 is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto enabled, allowing you to tune into your favourite radio station, or play your favourite music or podcast.

Bluetooth and voice control allow you to use voice commands to make hands-free calls, listen to text messages through the speakers (the system even understands emoticons and popular abbreviations!), send quick replies by selecting from a list of pre-set text responses, listen to voicemail, and adjust your climate control settings.

Two USB ports are also conveniently placed so you can charge your smartphone, or insert a memory stick or iPod, to voice command music playback by artist name, song title, or genre.

Visit www.ford.co.za/technology/sync/ for more info about the SYNC® platform.

Roadkill Saves Lives

November 2019

We’ve all driven past the lifeless body of an animal in the middle of or on the shoulder of the road, in our suburbs and cities, on our highways and byways, and in protected areas like game reserves. Family pets, valuable livestock, and myriad species of wildlife – each sentient being, meeting its fate through a tragic impact with a moving vehicle.

But it’s not just animals that are killed in these awful accidents. “Of the 45 human lives lost on our roads every day, we estimate that around a third of those are due to collisions with wildlife,” says international award-winning researcher Wendy Collinson-Jonker, manager of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife and Transport Programme (EWT-WTP).

Huge costs of road accidents

Road deaths account for untold suffering for families, friends, and loved ones left behind. They also come at a huge cost to the economy, which government conservatively estimates at around R166bn annually. “The insurance industry pays out claims in the region of R82.5m each year for wildlife-vehicle-collisions (WVCs) alone, ” says Collinson. “But the costs to our wildlife, and tourism industry, are never calculated.”

Currently, one in every 22 working South Africans are employed in the tourism sector which accounts for 2.8 per cent of gross domestic product. “Wildlife is one of the major drawcards for tourists to South Africa,” she continues. “And wildlife tourism is expected to grow significantly by 2030.”

“Unfortunately WVCs are already a common occurrence in our parks,” she adds. “With even more vehicles expected on the roads in the years to come, an anticipated increase in WVCs is obviously cause for serious concern. And if you consider that many of the species being killed in WVCs are already on the Endangered list – like the African Wild Dog – the costs could be very high.”

Roadkill research used in science of road ecology

The fact is, transportation infrastructure affects the structure of ecosystems, all around the world. As more roads are built, and more vehicles take to the roads, the increasing attention of scientists to the ecological effects of road infrastructure has resulted in the emergence of the science of road ecology.

Roadkill researchers working in this field are like police detectives. They gather forensic evidence (roadkill data) at the scene of the crime (accident scene) to build a case (identification of roadkill hotspots). The strength of their evidence will help determine the outcome of the case (implementation of traffic calming measures at specific roadkill hotspots), which ultimately helps inform national policies and legislation for public safety (development and planning decisions around future road design, with the ultimate aim of making the roads safer for all).

So how exactly is roadkill used?

“Using the roadkill data we collect over time, we are able to identify patterns and trends of where WVCs are most common, and when the greatest number of impacts occur – the months of the year, and the times of day or night,” says Collinson. “We can identify migration corridors for different species, and roadkill hotspots where mitigation measures can be implemented for those species most at risk.”

Much of the carnage on our roads happens at night, and if you’ve ever wondered why you’re not allowed to drive around inside game reserves after sunset, this is the main reason.

You’ve probably at some point also wondered why certain animals turn into statues in the middle of the road – that classic ‘deer in the headlights’ moment – when you’re driving straight towards them. It’s not because they’re stupid; it’s because they are often crepuscular or nocturnal animals, and their vision is different to ours. Because they are mainly active within an hour or so on either side of dawn and dusk, or at night, their pupils fully dilate to capture as much light as possible and optimise their vision in low light conditions. So when you shine a very bright light in their eyes, they become temporarily blinded and will freeze until their eyes can adjust. Unfortunately this may take longer than the time you need to stop your vehicle and avoid a collision.

While many animals do have eyes which are reflective in artificial light – thanks to a mirror-like membrane called the tapetum lucidum behind the retina – which makes them easier to spot in the dark, for taller hoofed mammals like kudu, cattle, and horses, their eyes are above most headlight beams. This means that their eyeshine is less likely to be seen by motorists until it’s too late.

Because of their size, and hooves and horns, these animals also pose the most danger to vehicle occupants. If these animals are hit, they can roll onto the bonnet and into the windshield or roof, resulting in extensive vehicle damage, and serious or fatal injury to the vehicle occupants.

Two (or more) heads are better than one

“Collaboration with stakeholders in the transport sector is integral to the success of our work in terms of building a combined body of knowledge,” says Collinson. “Currently we are in partnership with three of South Africa’s major toll concessionaires, namely Bakwena N1N14 Toll, TRAC N4, and N3 Toll Concession.”

“Input from the public is also hugely appreciated,” she adds. “Anyone with a smartphone can be a citizen scientist. Sending in photographs of roadkill, along with the location, date, and time of the sighting, via email or the EWT’s Road Watch app, helps expand the geographic scope of our study.”

Ford Wildlife Foundation sponsors EWT-WTP project vehicle

“As an NGO, we rely on assistance from our core supporters to be able to do the work we do,” says Collinson. “One of these core supporters is the Ford Wildlife Foundation (FWF), with their sponsorship of a Ford Ranger double cab. Our programme benefits enormously from the use of this project vehicle, since we do a vast amount of travelling, and are active on all roads in the country – from protected areas to regional and national highways.”

“The conservation and preservation of the environment has become a major worldwide issue, dramatically changing the attitudes of consumers and the way large corporations do business,” says Lynda du Plessis, manager of FWF. “For 30 years, Ford has supported environmental education, research, and conservation projects around sub-Saharan Africa. We announced the FWF in 2014, and are extremely proud to be associated with the likes of the EWT and their Wildlife and Transport Programme. The value that roadkill research adds to the greater discourse on conservation is clearly evident. And it is an honour and a privilege to know that our Rangers are being used to enable these projects to go further, to build a more sustainable future for all.”

Journey of a Ranger: Plant to Port in 11 Hours

October 2019

[Note: October is Transport Month in South Africa.]

It’s 05:30 at Ford’s vehicle assembly plant in Silverton, east of Pretoria, and veteran Motorvia driver Samukelo Mthethwa is preparing to hit the open road. He’s just spent around three hours loading and securing seven brand new Ranger pickups onto the double-deck open trailer attached to his truck.

As a driver, Mthethwa is responsible not only for driving the truck, but also for the loading and unloading of its cargo. The rig uses hydraulically operated ramps, which can be tilted to maximize the available space by tucking the end of one vehicle under another. Some vehicles are backed onto the trailer while others are driven in nose first. With more than 10 years of experience under his belt, Mthethwa has this routine down to a fine art.

These seven Rangers are destined for export to the UK. The 640 km journey to Durban Harbour will take him around 11 hours, with compulsory stops on the way. Once he has unloaded all seven pickups into a secure parking lot in the harbour precinct, he’ll be able to call it a day.

Delivery to one of Ford’s 140 dealerships in South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, and Botswana is a bit more complicated. Dealers order specific vehicles from the plant, and these are loaded in reverse order based on the planned delivery schedule, which includes each dealership en route to the truck’s final destination.

Much of Mthethwa’s trip will be along the N3 highway, which is one of the country’s most important economic arteries. He will have to make a stop at the Heidelberg Traffic Control Centre, where all south-bound trucks are checked for overloading and roadworthiness before getting further down the route. Van Reenen’s Pass is the most notorious and dangerous section of the N3. The long, steep descent is harsh on braking systems, and according to N3 Toll Concession, the company responsible for managing this section of the highway, wind can reach speeds of 141 km/h up the pass and start blowing trucks over at 126 km/h, and snow can render it impassable.

During his trip, dispatchers in Motorvia’s central monitoring office and control centres around the country will be tracking the movement of his truck via GPS technology to ensure it doesn’t deviate from its route. In the event of a hijacking, which is a serious concern in this industry, a control centre will immediately activate response teams for recovery.

“Around 720 vehicles leave our plant every day, about 80 per cent of which are destined for export,” says Ockert Berry, VP Operations, Ford Middle East and Africa. “While domestic vehicle sales are still an essential component of our business, we have strategically mapped our revenue pipeline to target exports and drive export-oriented growth.”

Ford exports vehicles to more than 100 left-hand drive and right-hand drive markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Mexico. The locally-built Ranger is the top-selling pickup in Europe, and South Africa’s top-ranking light commercial vehicle export.

Due to unprecedented demand for the Ranger globally, and an increase in production capacity on the back of a recent R3bn investment, Ford, together with Transnet, evaluated how a multi-port strategy could benefit both parties by improving the use of current assets and reducing costs, as well as addressing the ongoing congestion in Durban Harbour, by utilising other ports.

“Up until the first quarter of 2019, all incoming and outbound Ford vehicles were shipped through Durban Harbour,” says Berry. “It has South Africa’s largest Roll-on Roll-off (Ro-Ro) terminal and is the best equipped in the Southern Hemisphere. However, it has become increasingly congested, and so, in April, we broadened our outbound logistics portfolio by adopting a multi-port strategy to support increased export volumes. We are now also shipping Rangers to markets in Europe twice a month from Port Elizabeth Harbour.”

In total, Ford charters 15 to 20 incoming and outbound vessels a month. These dedicated car carriers, also known as Ro-Ro ships, have built-in ramps which allow vehicles to be easily driven on and off. Vehicles are driven directly into the ship via an internal ramp system to multi-level decks, where they are securely lashed to the floor so they can’t budge an inch during their long ocean voyage.

Traditionally, Port Elizabeth-based automakers transported their vehicles to Gauteng by rail, and these rail assets returned to Port Elizabeth empty. Ford has engineered backhauls – using the return leg of the rail journey to transport export Rangers from Gauteng to Port Elizabeth – which both improves efficiencies and shortens delivery times. Rail is a practical and cost-effective solution for moving large numbers of vehicles using specially designed rail cars called auto racks.

“The cost of vehicle transport logistics, including pressure from rising fuel prices, is substantial enough to warrant constant attention and innovation,” says Berry. “We are continuously looking at ways to increase efficiency and drive costs down, to mitigate whatever happens in the economy and the supply base.”

It’s now 05:45 and Mthethwa climbs into the driver’s seat, honks the horn – a sound he’s loved since he was a little boy – and hits the gas, pointing the nose of his 18-wheeler to the main gate, towards the asphalt ribbon beyond. He takes a last swig of coffee, selects a favourite playlist, and looks forward to filling his lungs with balmy sea air when he reaches his destination.

The Raptor Warrior

August 2019

[Note: August is Women’s Month in South Africa. This content formed part of Ford’s month-long #WomenWithDrive campaign.]

Conservationist Linda van den Heever is the manager of BirdLife South Africa’s Vulture Project, which forms part of their Terrestrial Bird Conservation Programme (TBCP). Her somewhat unusual line of work is not for the faint-hearted, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Working in conservation, you are confronted with the stark reality of humanity’s impact on nature on a daily basis, and sometimes it can be difficult not to get discouraged,” she says. “For example, we recently suffered the senseless loss of 28 vultures in Zululand, followed shortly thereafter by the gut-wrenching news that another 537 vultures – covering five different endangered and critically endangered species, had been poisoned in Botswana. And as this occurred during breeding season, the true magnitude of the losses will never be known, as many chicks will also be lost as a result of starvation or exposure.”

Passion and perseverance are key to surviving a career in conservation. “You just have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and soldier on,” she says. “And if you have what it takes to push through those dark days, it really is incredibly rewarding. For me, the idea of going back to the corporate world – where I started, is now unthinkable!”

From corporate world to conservation

A born-and-bred Joburger, after school Van den Heever went on to study at the then Rand Afrikaans University, now University of Johannesburg, obtaining BCom (Accounting) and BSc (Applied Mathematics) degrees. From there she embarked on a 15-year career in the corporate world, but deep in her heart she always knew she wanted to work in conservation. And so, in 2013, she left her job as sales manager at a direct marketing company specialising in the financial services industry, applied for a position as programme administrator at BirdLife SA’s TBCP, and resumed her studies. She subsequently went on to obtain BSc (Zoology) and BScHons (Zoology) degrees, from Unisa and University of Pretoria (UP) respectively, and will soon be adding an MSc (Zoology) degree from UP to her raft of academic qualifications. In 2016, she was promoted to manager of the Vulture Project, and it is here – at the thrilling intersection of scientific research and adrenaline-pumping field work – that she seems to have found her true métier.

“There is no average day, which is part of the reason I love my job so much,” she says. “When I’m at the office, I spend most of my time in meetings, writing reports and funding applications, reading scientific articles, analysing data, and planning research projects. When I’m in the field, you’ll find me sourcing samples from wild vultures for my research project, negotiating with farmers, giving presentations, riding around game farms to investigate infrastructure, travelling to remote areas to monitor vulture breeding colonies, or attending various task force meetings.”

Vulture culture

Vultures are truly fascinating birds. There are two types: New World vultures, found in the Western Hemisphere – North America and South America; and Old World vultures, found in the Eastern Hemisphere – Africa, Europe, and Asia. They are distinct from other raptors in that they are classified as obligate scavengers – relying predominantly on carrion, rather than birds of prey. A group of vultures in flight is called a kettle, a group of vultures resting in the trees or on the ground is called a committee, and a group of vultures feeding is called a wake.

These iconic birds, which feature prominently in ancient mythology, play a crucial role in ecosystems. By swiftly removing decomposing carcasses from the environment, they help prevent the spread of disease. Their digestive system is highly acidic, so it is able to neutralise the bacteria and other harmful organisms found in decaying flesh, and dense material like bone can be digested in under 24 hours.

Vultures poisoned to brink of extinction

Recent decades have seen an alarming decline in Africa’s vulture populations, with four of South Africa’s nine vulture species now regarded as critically endangered. Reasons for the increase in mortalities are numerous and complex. But being obligate scavengers, and therefore particularly susceptible to dietary toxins, poisoning is cited as the biggest contributing factor.

Intentional poisoning, often for the harvesting of vulture brains for use in ‘muti’, or traditional medicine, involves the lacing of poached animal carcasses. According to believers, smoking dried vulture brains can help with winning at the lottery or horse races, boosting exam performance, or luring more clients to a business. Secondary poisoning can occur from veterinary drugs, like diclofenac. And unintentional poisoning can happen through the accidental ingestion of spent lead ammunition.

Impact of lead toxicity in vultures

“Lead is a toxic heavy metal which serves no known biological function in any living organism,” says Van den Heever. “Its harmful effects on both human and animal health have been well-documented. In birds, lead exposure, even low-level chronic exposure, affects all the important biological pathways, including the cardiovascular, renal, hematopoietic, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and nervous systems.”

“Following a nationwide assessment of lead levels in our Critically Endangered White-backed Vulture population, we found that a significant proportion of the birds, including chicks, had elevated concentrations of lead in their blood and bones,” she adds. “In nest-bound chicks, this is from lead fragments which are regurgitated by their parents during feeding.”

Lead Task Team & Vulture Safe Zones

In partnership with multiple stakeholders, BirdLife SA is committed to finding and pursuing constructive solutions to mitigate the impacts of lead poisoning across all of Africa’s beleaguered vulture populations, and reverse their dramatic population declines.

Van den Heever serves on the national Lead Task Team, working closely with farmers and hunters to remove the threat of lead poisoning to vultures and other scavengers, by urging them to switch to non-lead alternatives. She also works on the Vulture Safe Zone project, helping land-owners to manage their properties in ways that are safe to vultures. Their work is currently taking place in Pongola, Mkuze, and Hluhluwe.

Ford Wildlife Foundation

“The sponsorship of a Ford Ranger double cab from the Ford Wildlife Foundation (FWF) has made a huge difference to our Vulture Project,” says Van den Heever. “My job frequently takes me to remote areas where the use of a sedan is impossible. The Ranger has taken me over impassable roads in Lesotho, northern Limpopo, and Zululand, and also carried me through deep sand and across dunes in the Kalahari. I wouldn’t be able to conduct my lead research, or implement the Vulture Safe Zone initiative without it.”

“Although our names are spelt slightly differently, Linda van den Heever and I are definitely cut from the same cloth when it comes to our passion for conservation,” says Lynda du Plessis, manager of FWF. FWF was established in 2014, but Ford has been actively involved in conservation efforts in Southern Africa for 30 years. “Linda is one of those inspiring ladies who epitomises the ethos of what we have fondly dubbed Ford’s #WomenWithDrive,” adds du Plessis. “And it really is such an honour for us to be able to support organisations like BirdLife SA, and their Vulture Project, through the use of our vehicles. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Linda and the rest of the team for all that they do to help stem the flow of vulture losses, and we wish them well in their ongoing efforts to give conservation wings.”

Ford and World Vision Create Water from Air

June 2019

Drought-stricken communities in the Eastern Cape are set to benefit from an innovative mobile water generation project launched by World Vision South Africa, and funded by the Bill Ford Better World Challenge, the Ford Motor Company Fund and Ford Research and Advanced Engineering.

The Bill Ford Better World Challenge is jointly funded by company chairman Bill Ford and the Ford Fund – the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company. The Better World Challenge gives employees and non-profit organisations (NPOs) worldwide the opportunity to address critical concerns in their communities such as food, water, shelter and mobility, and to develop sustainable solutions to improve the quality of life for people in need.

World Vision South Africa is a winner of the 2018 Bill Ford Better World Challenge and was awarded a grant of $200k (approximately R2.8m) for its pioneering concept to address the devastating drought affecting the Eastern Cape. Additional funding to the value of $130k (around R1.9m) was awarded by Ford Research and Advanced Engineering.

World Vision South Africa was founded in 1967, and is part of the World Vision International Partnership that was created in the 1950s and currently operates in 100 countries, impacting over 200 million vulnerable children and tackling the root causes of poverty in the communities.

For this Ford-backed programme, the grants have been used to acquire an innovative Watergen water-from-air solution, imported from the US, which extracts clean and fresh drinking water from the air in an energy-efficient manner. They will also cover the operational costs of the project.

“We are delighted to officially launch this innovative project, thanks to the generous grants received from the Bill Ford Better World Challenge, Ford Motor Company Fund and Ford Research and Advanced Engineering,” says Chikondi Phiri, Officer in Charge, World Vision South Africa.

“The Eastern Cape has been severely impacted by drought in recent years, and the poorest communities are the hardest hit. Accordingly, the project will primarily focus on assisting schools, clinics and Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDs), as well as households where the need is greatest,” Phiri states.

According to World Vision SA, over the next two years the project will assist many of the 79 schools located in Uitenhage and KwaNobuhle, and will benefit at least four clinics in the area. A total of 50 ECDs will be assisted, along with an estimated 3,400 households.

Mounted on a custom-built heavy-duty double-axle trailer, the unit comprises a Watergen GEN-350 atmospheric water generator, powered by a diesel generator, The system is completely mobile and can be operated in any location.

The rig is towed to sites around Nelson Mandela Bay by the team from World Vision South Africa with a Ford Ranger 2.2 TDCi XL Double Cab that was acquired from Eastern Cape Motors Ford North End in Port Elizabeth.

“Ford is committed to supporting the communities in which we operate through a wide range of volunteer programmes, and through grants awarded by the Ford Motor Company Fund,” says Neale Hill, MD of Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa.

“Water is a basic and essential human need, and the World Vision project comes at the perfect time to address the drought that has heavily impacted the Eastern Cape and Nelson Mandela Bay recently,” he continues. “We commend the World Vision team for submitting this fantastic concept to the Bill Ford Better World Challenge last year, and are proud to have it selected as one of the two global winning projects for 2018.”

Using humidity to create 900 litres of fresh drinking water per day

Watergen was founded in 2009 and is led by a team of experts with decades of experience in the water, environmental, engineering and healthcare fields.

The company’s patented GENius atmospheric water-generating technology uses the humidity in the air to create clean and fresh drinking water. The system was developed to provide safe drinking water in remote areas, as well as to support relief efforts following natural disasters.

The GEN-350 is Watergen’s medium-scale mobile unit. It can be used indoors or outdoors, and is able to produce up to 900 litres of water per day.

It uses integrated water purification technology, comprising sediment filtration, mineralisation, activated carbon, and microbiological treatment to guarantee the water it generates is always clean, regardless of air quality. The system includes a built-in internal reservoir with continuous treatment that circulates the water to keep it fresh and tasting great.

Watergen systems have been successfully deployed in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and North America. The company has earned numerous international awards, including the CES 2019 Best of Innovation award for Tech for a Better World, and an honouree award for Best Home Appliance. Watergen was also selected as a 2018 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer.

Ford’s Plans for Drone-to-vehicle Technology

May 2018

Ford wants to unlock the full potential of drone-to-vehicle technology, to see the use of commercial drones as companion tools to vehicles.

The car manufacturer’s drone-to-vehicle technology would allow drone operators the convenience of being able to launch, fly, and dock drones from the safety and comfort of their vehicles on a job site.

Ford is the only automaker on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Rulemaking Committee, and a proactive participant in the regulatory conversation around the integration of drones into civil aviation airspace.

How it would work

By accessing an app projected through Ford’s integrated SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system, the vehicle would serve as a mobile base station, facilitating a real-time link between the vehicle, the drone, and the cloud, so data could be shared. For quick and affordable inspection and monitoring, surveying and mapping, data collection and imaging, the scope for commercial applications of drone-to-vehicle technology is endless.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requires drone operators to be fully licensed before flying commercially. A Remote Pilot’s Licence (RPL) from a fully accredited CAA training academy, an Air Service Licence (ASL) from the Department of Transport, and a Remote Operator’s Certificate (ROC) from the CAA itself are all non-negotiable.

Says Sean Reitz is CEO of United Drone Holdings, and the CAA-accredited RPAS Training Academy, which educates and trains newcomers to the drone industry whilst assisting to create employment opportunities: “While we do have comprehensive regulations regarding the use of commercial drones, they are considered highly restrictive, with only 22 ROCs issued by the CAA to date,” he says.

“There are several converging factors that will allow for growth and development of the commercial drone industry, with the most important one being the wider adoption of BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) operations,” he continues. “This is where the real value of drones in South Africa will be demonstrated,”

Up until now, there wasn’t a way to identify and track drones in flight, BVLOS. Ford colleagues John Luo, manager of emerging technology integration and wireless connectivity, and Adi Singh, principal scientist of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems, made a recent proposal to the FAA which could become a game changer.

Patent-pending idea

Every drone registered with the FAA is given a 10-digit number, which acts like a vehicle’s licence plate. This patent-pending idea is to use the anti-collision lights on the drone to broadcast the drone’s unique number, to be captured and interpreted by a camera-based app that’s been developed.

The decoding algorithms can be run on a standard smartphone, which would enable anyone to identify and report a drone operating where it shouldn’t be, making it easier for aviation authorities to track rogue drones.

It remains to be seen whether the FAA will adopt Luo and Singh’s recommendation.

Art in Motion

December 2017

[Note: This content formed part of Ford South Africa’s #GoFurther campaign, and was inspired by a video created for the #MyFordStory campaign.]

Thirty-three years after the first 1967 Ford Mustang GT500 rolled off the production line, a vamped-up Hollywood version of the ’67 classic hit the big screen, in the remake of ‘Gone in Sixty Seconds’, starring Nicholas Cage and Angelina Jolie.

Not only did this now-legendary movie inspire a whole new generation of petrolheads, it advanced the status of the ‘Eleanor’ Mustang to one of the most recognisable and coveted muscle cars on the planet.

Fast forward to 2017, and Lesotho-born, South African resident Conty Fonane unveiled his own ode to the same ’67 classic – a life-sized sculpture fashioned almost entirely out of wire.

Fonane is no Andy Warhol. He doesn’t have a ‘factory’ of assistants helping him to produce his artworks. Fonane is a humble one-man show, a solopreneur, who does everything himself. The technical skill required to build a life-size Mustang out of wire is not to be under-estimated; it’s not something you learn overnight. Fonane had been sculpting smaller wire cars for more than a decade before he levelled-up to this grand scale.

His love affair with Ford goes back to his childhood. “I have always been into Ford. I love Ford. For the speed and the sounds,” he says. Reflecting on the start of his career: “I remember my father talking about cars almost every day. He would show me pictures, and tell me about the engineering, and explain how cars were hand-built. This inspired me.”

Realising the commercial value of his talent for wire art, combined with his passion for all things automotive, he started building small wire models which he sold to car dealerships.

“When I started making these wire cars, I thought that I’m just trying to sell them to make money so that I can find myself working in a car company, or being a car designer. But it continued until it started being a business.” People sat up and took notice, and the commissions started arriving.

Fonane built his Mustang at the Creative Rides showroom floor in Bryanston, Johannesburg. He worked every day, Monday to Friday, for seven months on the car. More than 1,120 hours of labour and R180k of raw materials later, his creation was complete. The final sculpture, consisting of stainless steel wire, aluminium tubing, and a set of real rubber tyres, weighs a whopping 400 kg, and requires a trailer to be transported anywhere.

The build was a challenge, demanding a great deal of stamina to see the project through. Calculations, measurements, cutting, bending, binding, welding … “It was like walking the Great Wall of China, back and forth, barefoot,” says Fonane. “The car wanted to fight back, telling me: ‘Conty, you can’t make me!’ But I saw my hands shaping it, and I started falling in love with it. And I told the car: ‘I will make you, because I am in love with you.’ That’s how it worked.”

The distinctive proportions of the Mustang, after which the ‘pony car’ class of American muscle cars was named, are replicated in Fonane’s sporty coupé. The long hood and compact rear, combined with intricate interior details, are faithful to the original 1967 model. It has a wire V8 engine, pistons, gearbox, brakes, clutch, working hinges on the doors, seats you can sit in, and even a steering wheel that can turn. Pure art in motion. “Once you are inside the car, you can have fun in it,” says Fonane. “It’s quite comfortable.”

It is through the vision and dedication of wire artists like Fonane that a simple craft, originating in the townships and rural areas, has been elevated to a respected contemporary art form in its own right. What was once only sold on street corners, at flea markets, and in souvenir shops, is now bona fide art, worthy of display in showrooms, boutiques, galleries, museums, and corporate collections.