BERLIN—Ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford is unveiling a concept vehicle here at IFA. The Ford Evos will showcase the company's design ideas and future technology implementations, including cloud connectivity, that you'll see in future-generation Ford vehicles.
"At Ford, the future of technology in the car will be defined by the experience that it delivers to the driver and passengers," said Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president of Ford Research and Innovation. "We see technology as more than just an impressive list of microprocessors, sensors and software; it's about the application of that technology to create an experience that enhances the driver's time behind the wheel."
You'll never see it on the road, but the Evos concept car is a slick-looking fastback with DeLorean-style hinged gullwing doors and a lithium-ion plug-in "powersplit" hybrid powertrain that works with the cloud to maximize fuel efficiency. Using information about your predicted route, emission zone restrictions, and current weather conditions, the car would automatically know when to switch between electric and traditional fuel to save energy.
Cloud connectivity will play a key role in creating a seamless experience between the driver's home, office, and car. Future Ford cars will communicate with devices in your home to, for example, queue up the same music that was playing in the house, and based on your calendar entries, adjust the climate inside the car before you get behind the wheel. It could then close the garage door and switch off the lights once you pull away. "The car gets to know you and can act as a personal assistant to handle some of the usual routines of a daily commute." said Mascarenas.
The Evos concept also emphasizes driver wellness to relieve stress and increase situational awareness. The car is equipped with a heart rate monitor and advanced air quality sensors and filtration systems to help allergy sufferers. It will be able to access air quality data from the cloud and proactively suggest a healthier route. It can also simplify the appearance of the instrument panel to display only necessary gauge information and switch your connected cell phone to a do-not-disturb mode to help you keep your focus on the road.
For more on Ford Evos concepts and technologies, check out the video below.