The Blue Oval plans to launch the first product of its innovative new Universal EV Platform next year, and the automaker is pushing for each vehicle on this platform to be as efficient as possible. A new patent discovered by The Drive highlights how Ford‘s guiding principles for these new EVs might be put into practice, describing a shifter that may not only simulate the experience of changing gears with a stick but also serve as an interface responsible for altering drive modes, among other potential applications. See, Ford wants to make cars more efficient by cutting out parts that are unnecessary and adding parts that serve multiple purposes. “The best part is no part,” says Ford, adding, “The second-best part is one that performs multiple functions.”
Ford’s “Shifter” Patent Is Weird
The patent, filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, describes a system in which a knob and shaft are used to access different settings that might be attributed to torque curves of an EV (essentially simulating shifts with an electric powertrain). But if Ford is so keen on minimizing complexity, why add a lever that can only perform one task, even if it may help enhance engagement for the driver? Well, the crown of the knob may be a movable bezel that could change the mode of the shifter from simulating gear changes to something entirely different. Thus, the patent says that while one subset of pathways could control power delivery settings, one or more other virtual pathways could be used to adjust “e-brake conditions, pitch settings, yaw settings, steering angles, acceleration, deceleration, vehicle lock/unlock settings, display controls, gaming controls, aerodynamic settings, camera settings, accessory settings, and drive mode.”
In other words, Ford envisions the “shift” stick being used as a physical interface for selecting various other functions beyond what is traditionally associated with the lever in the middle of the car. Instead of scrolling through submenus on a touchscreen or having a set of physical buttons to engage with the infotainment system or vehicle settings, this do-it-all lever would be capable of simulating gear shifts in one mode, and with the rotation of the bezel, access other modes to become responsible for adjusting volume, changing drive mode, deploying an active spoiler, controlling the door locks, changing a surround-view camera angle, or any other function deemed appropriate. It may even be used as a joystick for an in-car gaming system.
A Clever Idea, But Users May Balk at a Multifunction “Shifter”
Ford
This tech would fit with Ford’s ethos that unavoidably necessary components should perform more than just their primary function, and developing a single component with several applications makes sense for cost savings and long-term quality control. Develop something once, develop it well, and use it over and over again. In an off-roader, for example, this shifter could switch from 4×2 to 4×4, lock differentials, and be used to interact with the screen in the dash. In a sports car, this same piece of hardware could be used to simulate shifts, adjust an electronic limited-slip differential, increase steering angle for a drift mode, and select the level of intervention from the traction control system. It might even simulate a hydraulic e-brake. In an entry-level city car, this stick and knob could be used to lock doors and increase the fan speed of the air-conditioning system. There are multiple possible applications, but because of this universal potential, the stick could prove confusing for users. Of course, an EV is meant to feel futuristic, and any new product comes with a learning curve, but learning how to use something like this may be too time-consuming for most drivers. Perhaps for these reasons, this patent may never be applied to production vehicles, but time will tell.
