Ford announces the cloud-connected Evos Concept car

By Mike Flacy August 30, 2011

Ford-EVOS-Concept — Image used with permission by copyright holder

In advance of the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, Ford announced the Evos Concept, an automobile that communicates with the cloud many consumer friendly uses. By integrating a driver’s daily schedule into the car, the Ford Evos Concept can automatically choose driving routes that are best suited for making a meeting on time. When integrated into home automation, it can communicate with lighting in a home and a garage door opener to trigger when arriving or leaving. The Ford Evos Concept can also continue playing specific music or news when a driver leaves or arrives at the house, if integrated into a home sound system.

Designed to help people with problematic allergies, the Ford Evos Concept uses filtration systems and advanced air filters to reduce the amount of allergens in the air. It also has the ability to suggest a course correction for a route with higher quality air. The Ford Evos Concept also uses heart-rate monitors built into the seat to measure the physical state of the driver and has the ability to turn off a driver’s smartphone to keep attention on the road.

The car uses a lithium-ion plug-in hybrid powertrain, meaning the car runs on electricity until switching over to a gasoline-powered engine to recharge the battery while driving. By tapping into information within the cloud, the car self-adjusts usage of the gasoline engine based on current weather conditions, emission restrictions and the predicted route. This cloud integration would allow Ford’s PHEV technology to stretch beyond the current range of 500 miles per trip. The Ford Evos Concept also has the ability to modify the suspension and throttle response to adjust to more strenuous driving conditions.

While the Ford Evos Concept will never see full production, the technologies from this test will likely trickle down into Ford’s lineup of vehicles over the next several years.

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