Ford Patents Adaptive Hybrid That Reacts to Terrain

FordFordUnited States of America, 1903 > present92 models
2522 photos
11 videos
has patented a new technology that it calls EV+ that learns a vehicle's frequent destinations and automatically switches the car into EV mode when they are nearby. The system IS packaged as part of the Smart Gauge that comes on the C-MaxFord C-MAX Gen.2United Kingdom, 2010 > present103 versions
110 photos
and FusionFord Fusion Gen.2United States of America, 2012 > present30 versions
45 photos
Hybrid and Energi models. All of Ford's hybrids have GPS already in them as standard. 

The system learns from GPS inputs where the driver is most frequently. If the system knows that you are close to a frequent stop it will stay in full electric mode longer. For instance, drivers generally program their home into the GPS system. If the system has reserve electric power, it will automatically switch into pure electric mode when drivers are getting close to home to safe gas. The system activates when the driver is within 1/8 mile or 200 meters of a frequent destination if there is enough reserve power. 

“We already have a GPS unit in every Ford with SYNC, so really it was just a matter of tapping into that the right way. This is one of the first examples of how we’re looking to make the car smarter, by leveraging on board data to provide features and services that add value to the driving experience," said Ford Director of Electrification Kevin Layden. 

The system was designed by two Ford engineers - Ken Frederick and Matt Smith. They integrated data from the GPS system with a predictive software algorithm that identifies frequently visited locations. The data can also be easily deleted in the system in case the driver moves or the car is sold. 

EV+ was originally intended to predict the road ahead and adjust the hybrid system accordingly, but that was too much data to process for Ford's system. It would have been forced to develop new hardware and software tools to make that possible. Instead, the two engineers simplified that idea to just looking at the GPS system and analyzing frequent stops. It does not require any new hardware, and the algorithm is supported with the current software.