New Year, new you goes the saying, and there are so many ways it can manifest itself. Ford has chosen a specific situation, though, namely people going about their usual fitness routine even though it’s rather chilly outside. How does it tie into the company’s smart features? Easy: through the clouds of mist.
Many people don’t change their routine based on seasons; even though in many parts of the world the winter has taken over, going to the gym, cycling, running, or walking remains a part of the regular fitness program.
Ford has taken notice that sometimes when we get back into the car after exercising, the physical effort can lead to unintended consequences. For example, mist can build up on the inside of the car’s windshield, which may be cause for an annoying delay of the start of our journeys, if only by minutes.
But the Blue Oval has a solution, dressed up in marketing speak as the “Ford Windscreen Weather Station.” The clever trick is the system will try and detect the elevated humidity in the cabin to prevent the mist build even before it occurs.
That’s because it uses sensors to detect both the moisture in the air and the temperature changes of the glass, automatically switching on the air conditioning system and even choosing the exact amount of airflow needed to prevent the mist accumulation on the inside of the windshield.
This sensor system is included on models that have the Dual Electric Automatic Temperature Control feature, such as the Ford Kuga and the larger Explorer SUV.
Usually, this would be a minor inconvenience for people used to indoor fitness training, but with the current state of restrictions, it’s no wonder more people choose to exercise outside, thus being unable to shower at the end of their routines.
By the way, the latest variant of Ford’s Windscreen Weather Station – which has an array of sensors in the rear-view mirror area – is also designed to help increase the energy efficiency of the vehicles. It does so by lowering the usage of the air conditioning system’s compressor, thus leading to possible saves in terms of both fuel and CO2 emissions.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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