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In an era where automakers are trying to shrink steering wheels and even eliminate them, Ford went the opposite way to create something very interesting. The Blue Oval Company makes the good old steering wheel cool. While Tesla is trying to improve on something that has been perfected for a century with the Yoke, which is largely cosmetic in nature, Ford seems to have modified it to offer more utility.
Intended for the new Ford Tourneo and Transit van across the pond, the modified steering wheels can be tilted to form a flat surface. With a plastic cover, it becomes a nice table that can be used to comfortably place a laptop and even have a healthy meal on the road.
Adding this feature to a van is a smart strategy, as van drivers have a very easy life on the road. And this smart feature alone can help save a lot of time and keep things organized. This change does not prevent the normal functioning of a steering wheel, and the position of the driver’s airbag remains unchanged.
Although this feature deserves a separate sub-head, Ford Pro decided to be humble and only mention it in their press release of the new E-Tourneo van line-up. Ford, with this cool feature and more, in the new Tourneo and Transit line-up plans to divert intriguing eyes from all-electric vans. These include the highly anticipated Volkswagen ID.Buzz and the Mercedes-Benz EQV which is quite popular in Europe.
Intelligent Tilting Steering Introduced In New Ford Electric Vans
The best use-case scenario for such a smart feature is in utility vehicles. And that’s exactly where you’ll find it. The unique titling steering feature was introduced on the all-new Ford E-Tourneo Custom, which is currently confined to Europe only. So, this feature is introduced to make a work van look cooler.
The amazing part is how Ford managed to fit a folding element into the steering wheel while hiding it in plain sight. The interesting part is that this feature was introduced after hours of consultation with long-time van drivers. Ford took all the feedback and came up with this clever feature. The steering wheel folds up from the bottom and locks when it is completely flat.
Then a plastic cover can be cut on top to make it a circular table of use. Van drivers can eat lunch or work on their laptops without moving an inch! The lower section of the steering wheel contains a retracting clip that helps hold a laptop in place, without sliding. The makeshift table is big enough to hold a Big Mac Combo Meal with ease.
Ingenious Steering Design Delivers Intelligent Space Management
Apart from making life easier for the driver, this intelligent steering by Ford also improves other aspects of the van. While the driver still pulls the airbag into the designated location on the steering wheel, the passenger airbag is moved to the roof. This helps free up more space on the passenger side of the dashboard.
This has helped Ford increase the glove compartment space which can easily hold a 14-inch laptop and other small gadgets. This helped ford declutter the cockpit and help the driver manage the space better. The Ford Tourneo line-up (including the all-electric variant) comes with a column-mounted gear selector.
This further helps in removing objects between the driver and passenger and makes life on the roads simpler. These are simple things we rarely think about, but Ford has brought them into the spotlight with function and style.
Euro-Spec Ford E-Tourneo Gets This Feature And More
This great feature is not only confined to the E-Tourneo, but also finds its way to the Ford Transit Custom, albeit as an optional feature. The center console is short and protrudes a bit. But it has a wireless charging dock and a hidden storage compartment with a classy-looking slider.
More cabin versatility comes in the form of a highly customizable seating arrangement on E-Tourneo passenger models. The six individual seats in the second and third rows can be mixed and matched in multiple patterns, and even removed to increase cargo space.
Will We See Ford’s Smart Steering Wheel Feature In The US?
While nothing is concrete, we think the cool new steering wheel feature will make for a productive addition to all trucks, especially the 2023 Ford E-Transit and the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning. Due to the absence of an ICE powerplant, there is more flexibility to maximize the use of this feature in Ford’s all-electric offerings. But for now, this feature is only offered across the pond on the Ford Tourneo and the Transit models.
Sources: Ford Europe, Ford Corporate
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