Ford creates robot charging station prototype

Ford has developed a prototype robot charging station that is designed to power up electric vehicles (EV) using only a smartphone.

In a statement, the Blue Oval marque said that the technology “could enable disabled drivers to stay in the car while charging, or they could leave the car while the robot does all the work.”

In a statement, Ford said that once activated, the mechanical arm from the charging station extends toward the inlet with the help of a tiny camera while drivers can monitor the power status through the FordPass app on their mobile devices. 

After charging the unit, the robotic arm retracts back into place.

The company said that the testing of the robot charging station “is part of a research project to develop hands-free charging solutions for electric vehicles and fully automatic charging for autonomous vehicles.”

With that, Ford noted that the robot charging station — custom-made by Dortmund University in Germany — could be seen at disabled parking spaces, in car parks or at private homes.

“Further applications could include fast and efficient charging of company fleets. The technology could also support more powerful charging to charge vehicles in a much shorter time,” Ford noted.

Moreover, the carmaker said that the whole process could become fully automated, with minimal or no driver involvement. “The driver would simply send the vehicle to the charging station, with the infrastructure ensuring it reaches and returns from its destination autonomously.”

“Ford is committed to ensuring freedom of movement and right now refuelling or charging your vehicle can be a major problem for some drivers. The robot charging station could be an added convenience for some people but – absolutely essential for others,” Ford of Europe’s Research and Innovation Center engineer Birger Fricke was quoted as saying.

Ford is also researching robot charging solutions in combination with Automated Valet Parking, as demonstrated at IAA in Munich, Germany, last year.

Photos from Ford

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