Recent market research conducted by Ford Motor Company has revealed that young buyers are more attached to their cell phones than to their cars.This revelation has led Ford to create a design program that would evolve the dashboard controls of their vehicle models to mimic the design of popular cell phones and TV remote controls.
The program was called HAL, and Ford teamed up with the design consultancy Ideo, renowned for developing various electronics for major high-tech companies. Ideo applied the use of ethnographic research to help steer the design direction; they polled everyone from teenagers to airplane pilots. Ford and Ideo also utilized a driving simulator with a PlayStation 2 console and a dashboard of an older Ford Edge model.
The 2011 Ford Edge will be the first model that will feature the new redesigned dashboard controls. Some of the main features of the new dashboard design include the five-point controller on the steering wheel, which mimics a TV remote and an iPod.
A central screen is organized around four corners and four colors to differentiate phone, navigation, climate control and entertainment. The design concept is meant to be flexible, and designers have stated that the system could have a different look in various Ford models.
[Contributed by Daniel Rodriguez]
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