Ford is testing self-connecting robotic chargers to help disabled people

Maybe The most annoying part of driving an electric car is charging. Public chargers often break or malfunction, and many have unusually sized or located parking lots. Likewise, Charging cables themselves can be heavy and cumbersome to carry and maneuver.

All these disadvantages are magnified for disabled or elderly driversmany of which cannot be connected to an electric vehicle. To remedy this, Ford is starting tests with a new robotic charging station that can be operated from your car..

How does Ford Robotic Charging work?

The driver stops at the designated station and starts the charging process with the FordPass smartphone app. The cargo door of the car opens and A robotic arm emerges from the station and is precisely attached to the car using a small camera to position itself. Ford’s video also shows another version of the robot falling off the roof of a parking lot to hook up to power. When you’re done, the arm will retract into the docking station.

Real-world testing is already underway

Ford says so The robotic charger has passed its first phase of laboratory testing and is now undergoing real-world testing. and the configuration could be used in disabled parking spaces, private homes or parking lots.

Not only is this new robotic technology a boon for disabled drivers, it could also make charging large corporate fleets easier, charging cars with more power and in less time than traditional chargers. For the future, Ford is planning a fully automated process in which the driver sends the car to the charging station himself.

A technology that is compatible with other driving aids

The robot was developed in collaboration with the University of Dortmund in Germany, and Ford said so The research project will continue by collaborating with the Ionity charging network to further improve the system. This technology could also be used in combination with automated valet parking, which Ford first demonstrated at the Munich Motor Show last year.

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