Ford extends connected footprint with e-bike unveiling
Ford has unveiled two e-bike prototypes as it looks to forge a more prominent position in people's future "connected urban journeys" and help reduce stress levels of people with complex commutes.
Two electric bike versions were unveiled today (3 March) at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona following a competition which saw Ford call for designers to submit prototype design suggestions for the bikes.
The unveiling marks the car marque's ongoing ambition to further extend its footprint beyond cars and integrate its technologies with future city infrastructures.
The experiment, called Handle on Mobility, forms the latest step in the brand's Smart Mobility project, which includes its plans around connectivity, autonomous vehicles and using data to improve customer experience.
The next stage of the experiment will see it study how electric bicycles can work with cars and public transport to deliver faster and easier daily commutes and help businesses operating in urban centres.
“Changing the way we think, collaborate and behave is essential to ensuring freedom of movement of both people and economies,” said Barb Samardzich, chief operating officer, Ford of Europe.
“The Ford Smart Mobility plan supports our commitment to innovation and is aimed specifically at developing smarter transportation systems that take the worry and anxiety out of journey planning and improve the quality of life in busy cities,” he added.
The Drum spoke to Ford's lead project innovation supervisor Richard Craven about the bikes' features (see above).
Also at mobile world congress ford unveiled an app which lets electric vehicle drivers remotely connect their smartphone with the car to manage charging, as well as set internal temperatures of their cars.
Facts on the bike: (source Ford)
- Both e-bikes are equipped with a 200-watt motor with 9-amp-hour battery that provides electric pedal assist for speeds of up to 25 km/h.
- They feature technology normally found in cars, for example a rear-facing ultrasonic sensor. This enables a rider alert system that both warns the cyclist when a vehicle is overtaking, by vibrating both handlebars,and alerts motorists of the presence of the e-bike by illuminating handlebar lights.
- The MoDe:Me e-bike – built with the help of bicycle manufacturer Dahon – is intended for urban commuters to keep moving in congested city traffic. It folds and stows easily.
- The MoDe:Pro e-bike – built by a Ford team – is intended for urban commercial use such as by couriers, electricians, and goods and delivery services. It is designed to stow safely into commercial vehicles.
- The prototypes work with a prototype app called MoDe:Linkcompatible with the iPhone 6. Real-time information from the app enables the e-bikes to deliver:
- Navigation: handle-bar grip vibrations let the rider know when to turn. Turn signals are triggered automatically for safety. The app can identify bike-friendly roads, hazards and alerts, and will be able to sense, and communicate with other vehicles.
- Multimodal navigation and smart routing: Integrates journey planning with personal vehicle and public transportation networks, which can be filtered by cost, time, and amount of biking. Map includes weather, parking costs, and charging stations.
- Speed and comfort: electric pedal assist rate can be adjusted based on heart rate, “No Sweat” mode reduces the requirement to pedal.