Dates
2024
Role
Vision and Human Machine Interaction (HMI)
"Imagine a beautiful Ford vehicle sitting in the Farley family driveway and depending on who gets behind the wheel, the user experience is completely customized." - Ford President and CEO, Jim Farley
The cabin illuminates with a soft, calming blue glow as the expansive dashboard greets you. You adjust your seat and grip the wheel, and say, "Ford, sport mode," then suddenly, the entire environment transforms. You feel your seat firm up as the suspension lowers, the cabin glows with dynamic reds and oranges, your gauge cluster transforms to highlight performance metrics, and the eager rumble of the engine is amplified through the interior speakers. This isn’t just a drive; it’s a partnership between human, machine, and interface.
This is the Ford Co-Pilot, a concept that transforms driving into a connected, intuitive, and engaging experience between human and machine. Powered by Google Gemini, Google Automotive, and Ford engineering, this system transforms how we drive by connecting the driver, vehicle, and environment into one seamless experience.
Ford Co-Pilot adapts to various human needs, whether autonomously or with direct input. By dynamically adjusting to prioritize safety, assist in the handoff between human and machine, and create a personalized emotional driving experience, it ensures every interaction feels purposeful and engaging.
At the heart of the Ford Co-Pilot experience is its expansive door-to-door dashboard screen, seamlessly integrating form and function. This display serves as the vehicle’s central nervous system. This dashboard isn’t just a screen—it’s a redefinition of how drivers interact with their vehicles.
Ford has always been a pioneer in innovation—whether it was putting America on wheels with the Model T or introducing the first hybrid SUV. But today, innovation is about technology, not just mechanics. An co-pilot powered by AI is Ford’s chance to evolve into a tech-forward leader while staying true to its legacy of trust and reliability.
The automotive industry is moving fast toward AI integration, with Tesla and Rivian setting new standards for automation and personalization. Research from McKinsey shows consumers now see AI as a baseline expectation in cars. By creating a co-pilot experience, Ford can go beyond these expectations, offering an adaptive system that learns from each drive to tailor safety, navigation, and comfort to individual drivers.
The Driving Co-Pilot isn’t just a feature—it’s a relationship. With adaptive AI fostering trust and intuitive, immersive displays reducing distractions, Ford has the opportunity to redefine the driving experience and lead the next era of mobility—not just compete, but set the standard for what’s next.
The Three Mile Island incident revealed the dangers of overwhelming interfaces and unclear feedback, where critical information was lost in the noise, leading to catastrophic errors. Ford Co-Pilot takes these lessons to heart, creating a safety system that anticipates needs, simplifies information, and empowers drivers to make confident decisions without unnecessary distractions.
Ford Co-Pilot prioritizes safety with a seamless blend of proactive alerts, simplified information, and environmental synchronization. A glowing red wave directs attention to hazards, ambient lighting dims, and a calm voice provides clear guidance, such as, “Pedestrian ahead approaching from the right. Slowing for safety.” By highlighting only essential details—like object distance or escape routes—the interface reduces cognitive load and ensures swift, confident responses. To counter fatigue, the system softens lighting, delivers tactile seat nudges, and suggests breaks, creating a restorative driving environment where safety feels effortless and intuitive.
The crash of Air France Flight 447, where autopilot disengaged unexpectedly, leaving the unprepared pilots to handle inconsistent airspeed data ultimately leading to a fatal stall, demonstrates how abrupt and poorly managed transitions between human and machine can have devastating consequences. Ford Co-Pilot addresses these challenges by prioritizing seamless collaboration between driver and system, fostering trust and clarity to ensure drivers remain engaged, prepared, and capable of taking control when needed.
Ford Co-Pilot ensures seamless collaboration between driver and system with intuitive visual, auditory, and physical cues. A soft green wave signals the shift into autonomous mode, reversing direction when control returns, while ambient lighting shifts between green for automation and yellow for shared control. The system proactively communicates, saying, “Engaging autopilot for steep grade descent,” and prepares the driver to retake control with prompts like, “Prepare to drive in 500 feet.” The cabin adjusts for comfort and focus, subtly firming the seat for stability and providing tactile nudges through the steering wheel when transitioning back to manual control. With Ford Co-Pilot, even the trickiest passes feel confident and secure.
Choosing a car often feels like picking the perfect outfit for life’s runway. Some days call for a tailored suit (a luxurious and refined cabin for serene comfort), other days a pair of running shoes (a fast and responsive ride for thrilling drives), and sometimes a rugged jacket (a sturdy and capable setup for tackling tough tasks). What if your car could be all of these, shifting its personality and performance to fit your mood, task, or need? Ford Co-Pilot makes this possible, turning one car into a wardrobe of driving experiences.
Ford Co-Pilot adapts to your needs, creating a driving experience as dynamic as your day. After a long, exhausting day, simply say, “Ford, I need an easy drive,” and the cabin transforms into "Relax Mode," with softened ambient lighting, a simplified dashboard, and a calming seafoam green glow for a serene, restorative commute. Need to take an important call? The system automatically dims engine noise, seals the cabin, and pauses audio, delivering a quiet, distraction-free environment. On a scenic, winding road, Co-Pilot becomes an extension of you—adjusting the seat for stability, firming the steering for precision, and cooling the cabin for focus—turning every curve into an exhilarating yet controlled experience.
The Ford Co-Pilot dashboard blends clarity, functionality, and adaptability through a stylized Material Design framework. This foundation ensures rapid implementation, seamless updates, and consistent experiences across surfaces. The UI features a minimalist palette of white on black, using color sparingly to highlight critical elements—such as red for hazards and green for autonomous mode—while maintaining focus and reducing distractions. Motion enhances transitions, illustrates new information, and supports navigation, providing drivers with intuitive visual feedback.
The screen layout is divided into three distinct sections to ensure information is easy to locate: the Left Gauge Cluster prioritizes essential metrics like speed and fuel, always within the driver’s line of sight; the Core Driving Functionality at the center provides navigation, safety alerts, and autopilot status; and the Entertainment and Settings section on the right houses non-essential features like media controls. This structured left-to-right flow ensures drivers can quickly and confidently access the information they need, balancing safety with an intuitive, user-friendly experience.
With the Ford Co-Pilot, Ford can not only build on these innovations but surpass them by combining cutting-edge technology with decades of trusted craftsmanship. By emphasizing intuitive handoffs, adaptive interfaces, and emotionally resonant in-car experiences, the Ford Co-Pilot positions Ford as a leader ready to democratize advanced driving technology. It’s more than a driving aid—it’s a transformative step toward redefining mobility, where trust and innovation create extraordinary journeys.
Tesla and Rivian have shown the world what’s possible with a technology-based automotive experience, but Ford has something they don’t: a legacy of trust. Tesla’s Autopilot, with its minimalist touch controls, and Rivian’s Driver+, which features proactive lane adjustments and adaptive prompts, showcase how UI and UX can push boundaries in modern vehicles. Yet, these tech-focused companies lack the deep-rooted reputation and broad market reach that Ford brings to the table.