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Home | Green Cars News | Concepts | Ford Unveils Transit Connect Family One Concept

Ford Unveils Transit Connect Family One Concept

04 April, 2009 03:11:00

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Ford will unveil a family friendly version of its upcoming first European product to hit the States - the Transit Connect Family One concept small van at the New York Auto Show next week.

The Transit Connect Family One represents Ford’s first effort in showcasing the versatile Transit Connect for personal use.

The Family One concept is based on the Transit Connect, a global Ford platform adaptable to a wide variety of applications, both personal and professional. This concept vehicle represents Ford’s first effort in showcasing the versatile Transit Connect for personal use.

Transit Connect has a utilitarian form that offers 135 cubic feet of space on a compact platform, with agile driving dynamics ideally suited to urban driving and tight spaces. The vibrant color scheme and expansive greenhouse area combine to give the Family One concept friendly visual character and a bright, airy interior space.

The second-row seats in the concept provide youth passengers with ample room to get comfortable enjoy projected digital media entertainment on the bulkhead-mounted sunshade screens or look through the expansive windows. Side rear inner door panels are water-pen friendly and easily wipe clean for the next round of creative inspiration.

Clever, family-friendly features include built-in hand sanitizer and sunscreen dispensers, family walkie-talkie radios that charge when docked, an integrated first-aid kit and cargo door-mounted folding twin scooters. The storage area beneath the rear floor holds a folding stroller and an integrated awning extends from the open rear cargo doors. Seat covers are removable, washable and can be changed to redecorate and evolve with changing preferences.

The Transit Connect Family One concept vehicle uses in-dash computer technology to keep a family organized, on-schedule and properly equipped with everything from diaper bags to sporting goods, back packs and homework folders that populate the active family environment.

The Family One concept employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to keep track of all the items the active family needs to stay organized. When the driver enters the vehicle with children, the in-dash computer will provide notification that Timmy’s hockey equipment is still in the front hall closet. Using predictive algorithms to “learn” based on past usage, the system will identify missing musical instruments or homework on the way to school and will remind parents if they haven’t packed clubs for a scheduled Saturday golf outing.

The system is designed to be intuitively easy to operate, with minimal menu scrolling and programming. It also plays a role in safety – adding to peace of mind – as the system integrates with sensors to notify the driver if a child seat is improperly attached or tensioned.

The technology is designed to seamlessly integrate with the parents’ digital lifestyle.

The Family One concept is powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine – delivering 22 city and 25 highway miles per gallon – and features SmartGauge™, which debuted on the Fusion hybrid, to help parents drive more efficiently.

Looking forward, the global Transit Connect platform has capability to host any one of several efficient engine alternatives, including EcoBoost™ power and battery electric propulsion.

Check out the rest of our New York Auto Show coverage.

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