The Ford Vending Machine
Alibaba and Ford have signed a deal to build a vending machine for cars in Guangzhou, China. The vending machine has a capacity of 42 cars and allows prospective buyers to book a three-day test drive before they buy. All the prospective buyer needs to do is select the car model they're interested in, put down a deposit electronically via the Tmall app, schedule a pickup time, and snap a selfie so that the vending machine can recognize them when they pick up the car for a test drive.
Dolce & Gabbana fly drones down the catwalk
Marketing is one of the most creative and toughest industries in the world. Each day, companies are seeking new ways to attract attention and to mesmerize possible clients into becoming loyal customers. At Milan Fashion Week on Sunday, Dolce & Gabbana stunned the watching crowd with a memorable opener that replaced human fashion models with drones.
The drones were made to carry Dolce & Gabbana's latest range of "Devotion" leather handbags as part of its fall and winter collection. Around seven copters hovered along the runway, each with a Dolce & Gabbana handbag dangling beneath it.
Tostitos Party Safe Bag
According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 45 people were killed in drunk driving crashes on Super Bowl Sunday 2015. This was nearly half of all traffic fatalities that day. So for the 2017 Super Bowl Sunday, Tostitos launched a limited-edition "Party Safe" bag that could tell when you've been drinking, and then assist you to get home safely from the party.
The special bag was created by Goodby Silverstein & Partners and came equipped with a sensor that was connected to a microcontroller calibrated to detect traces of alcohol on a person's breath. If any alcohol was detected, the sensor would turn red and form the image of a steering wheel. The bag of chips would also give the user a $10 off Uber code along with a "Don’t drink and drive" message. Users with a NFC enabled smartphone could also tap the bag to call for an Uber.
Amazon Go
The way we buy groceries in stores is going to change forever! The first Amazon Go store is due to open to the public in early 2017. To use the service, people living in Seattle will need to install the Amazon Go app, log into their account, and then simply put goods from the shelves into their bags and walk out.
According to Amazon, the store and shelves are equipped with "computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning" technology that can detect when products are removed and returned to the shelves. And only when the customer actually leaves the store is their account charged.