You probably wouldn’t expect to find futurists working for a car company. But at Ford’s Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, Michigan, our scientists and engineers are predicting the problems people may have with their vehicles and making the technology to solve them.
There aren’t any crystal balls at the center. As Robert M. Santer, Chief Product Analyst at the center explains, there’s just the Ford team working hard to design vehicles you love to drive.
Ford does Hollywood: Using motion capture to improve your drive
At Ford, we’re using motion capture technology like the kind used in movies such as Polar Express and Avatar. The testing is done in the human occupant package simulator (HOPS) lab to find the most comfortable way for drivers to get in and out of our vehicles.
Ford’s seat controls are at a driver’s fingertips
We spend a lot of time in our vehicles, so naturally we want that time behind the wheel to be as comfortable as possible.
To make that a reality for drivers, our researchers get cozy in the simulator in Ford’s human machine interface lab. There, scientists are developing technology that lets you adjust the firmness of your seat with the touch of a screen, the click of a button, or the sound of your voice.
Have your crystal ball handy? Tell us in the comments below what new features you think you might see in your favourite Ford vehicles in the next 10 years.