Much is being made of “Detroit vs. Silicon Valley” these days. The crux of the matter is whether or not Detroit is capable of building software systems in new automobiles, especially in driverless vehicles, that will work as well as those created by Google and other software masters.
So while Ford works hard to keep up, it is pulling out all the stops, in this case, the creation of patents around the seating inside of a new driverless car. Although it’s hard to imagine, one day, when autonomous cars become so good that we can truly ride in them without worrying about the “driver” and our safety, our attention will shift toward the environs we are riding in and how they help or hinder us. Can we sleep? Can we comfortably have conversations or play games? Will everybody get car sick and barf all over the new interior?
Ford’s patent is being called a “living room on wheels” or a “lounge.” The following video from Bloomberg shows the designs from the patent:
