Ford's Cloud-Connected Car, the Evos Concept, to Make North American Debut at 2012 International CES

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• The Ford Evos Concept showcases the company's future design language and vision for a consumer-focused technology experience  
• Ford's research into cloud-based technology includes adaptive vehicle dynamics, driver health and well-being, and smart electrification
• Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally taking center stage on the CES Innovation Power Panel on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012 at 9 a.m.

The stunning Ford Evos Concept car will make its first appearance in North America as the centerpiece of Ford's display at the 2012 International CES in Las Vegas, Jan. 10-13, 2012. The Evos Concept made its global debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

The Ford Evos Concept embodies the company's new global design language while providing a glimpse at Ford's technology future highlighted by the use of cloud computing to enhance the driving experience.

"Today, drivers have to adapt to the features and capabilities of their car," said Paul Mascarenas, Ford chief technical officer and leader of the company's global Research and Innovation team. "The Evos Concept changes the paradigm of how you interact with your car. Our vision is that the car should seamlessly adapt to the driver taking the driving experience to a whole new level of personalization and convenience."

The Evos Concept integrates technology in a holistic way meant to enrich the driving experience. By exchanging data with the cloud, the Evos extends the connected lifestyle from home and office to the vehicle, providing new possibilities for personalization and adaptability of the car.

To view Ford's future technology experience, click here.

Through integration of on-board data about driver preferences with cloud-based information such as work schedules, music and weather conditions, and local data delivered through vehicle-to-vehicle communications, Evos Concept aims to make life simpler. "The car gets to know you and can act as a personal assistant to handle some of the usual routines of a daily commute," said Mascarenas.

To learn more about the personalized driving experience, click here.

Ford researchers have also incorporated technologies to enhance driver health and wellness while at the wheel. Features such as the heart-rate monitoring seat and certified allergy-free interiors connect to the cloud to monitor the physical state and workload of the driver, and adjust the driving experience accordingly.

"Our wellness research and technologies are focused on relieving driver stress and enhancing a driver's situational awareness," said Mascarenas. "Drivers around the world are spending more time behind the wheel, and the car should not be another stress point in their lives."

Learn more about Ford's health and wellness research here.

Evos also utilizes the power of the cloud to understand driver behavior and travel patterns in order to make predictions about destinations and to adjust the control strategies for the state-of-the-art lithium-ion plug-in-hybrid powertrain. Through understanding where the driver is likely to go, Evos can intelligently switch between running on battery or engine power in order to use the least amount of energy for any situation.

Watch Ford's lead researcher on cloud-based electric vehicle optimization here.

Alan Mulally, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company, will be returning to the International CES stage for the fourth consecutive year, participating in the 2012 Innovation Power Panel keynote. The Innovation Power Panel will be held at the Las Vegas Hilton on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 9 a.m.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company