Vocabulary Practice: Product development

Read the text again and complete the vocabulary tasks below.

Last week’s documentary presented product development at Quadra Car PLC, the manufacturer of self-driving cars.

“It all started on my drawing board,” said Sally Infanti, the CEO of Quadra Car. “I was making some sketches of a concept, an idea that I had. As I was drinking coffee, my dog ran into the room. I tried to get out of its way, but I spilled some coffee on the paper. I got inspired by the coffee marks and started designing a prototype of the car.”

However, the real breakthrough came a year later, when Infanti’s colleague, Dave Reynolds, found a way to combine her design with his computer skills. It changed everything and the work on the car speeded up. Infanti and Reynolds still had to do more research to get more information on the required technology. Unfortunately, money became a setback as Infanti’s bank stopped financing her project.

They did not have enough money to buy all the equipment, but it did not stop them from becoming pioneers in using SDACT technologies in cars. Because they were first, they could get a patent from the authorities preventing other companies from using this idea. “We did the testing on our own cars first to make sure it works everywhere,” Reynolds revealed, “it was very important for the development of Quadra Car. We were able to improve and adjust small elements of the program and the car.”

A recent analysis made by Technological Agency shows that Quadra Car may be the most innovative product of this year. Customers will be able to take part in the introduction ceremony next month, where Quadra Car will be officially presented. Some reporters already call it the “launch of the year.”