If a robotic charging station system may appear to be a convenience for some, it could literally make life easier for many others, starting with all people with reduced mobility.
To help these populations, Ford has therefore developed a prototype of a robotic charging station that drivers activate using a application on their smart phone. Consequently, all the operations necessary for recharging are entrusted to the robotwithout the driver having to get out of his car. Once the terminal is activated, a cover slides off and releases the charging arm which unfolds to the car socket, guided by a miniature camera. At the end of recharging, the arm folds back into its housing.
Ford is currently testing this robotic charging station as part of a larger research project aimed at designing hands-free charging solutions for electric vehicles and fully automated charging solutions for autonomous vehicles.
Eventually, this robotic charging station, custom-made in Germany in partnership with the University of Dortmund, could be installed in parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities.
Last year, Ford had already demonstrated, at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, a automated valet service able to park his car in a car park, recharge it or even wash it, all without the slightest human intervention. Note that Ford is not the only manufacturer to floor on this type of fully automatic solutions. This is also the case of volkswagen which has already presented, for its part, mobile charging robots, which can move from one parking space to another.