We know from our research that hybrid drivers want to drive as often as they can in electric-only mode, especially near their home or frequently visited locations. We already have a GPS unit in every Ford with SYNC, so really it was just a matter of tapping into that the right way. This is one of the first examples of how we’re looking to make the car smarter, by leveraging on board data to provide features and services that add value to the driving experience.

—Kevin Layden, Ford director of Electrification Programs and Engineering

EV+ was developed by two Ford engineers: Ken Frederick, HEV powertrain calibration engineer, and Matt Smith, product design engineer. They are the authors of the patent application that was recently published by the US Patent & Trademark Office.

When engaged, EV+ uses onboard GPS equipment and predictive software algorithms written by Frederick and Smith to learn the latitude and longitude of a vehicle and identify locations that are visited on a frequent basis, such as home and work. The feature can be disabled and the data erased at the push of a button.

When the feature identifies frequent destinations, the way electric power is used changes. Specifically, when within a radius of 1/8 mile, or 200 meters, of a frequent stop, the vehicle has increased capability to stay in electric-only mode, the internal combustion engine stays off, and an “EV+” light appears on the dashboard.

Originally, the plan was to develop a way for vehicles to collect and digest vast amounts of information to predict and adjust to different driving demands. The team quickly discovered that collecting and analyzing the vast amounts of data needed to make such predictions would require an immense hardware and software system—one that would demand too many resources, both in terms of initial development and inside each vehicle.

A breakthrough came, say Smith and Frederick, when they developed a way to reach their goal without the need to collect and store droves of information. Instead, their answer was to engineer a way to analyze incoming GPS information and control distribution of a vehicle’s power based on those data.

We realized that harnessing data already available was the way we could achieve our goal of improving the entire hybrid vehicle driving experience. Once we had access to the data, we applied machine learning principles to predict frequently visited locations that would determine what powertrain controls should be applied to achieve our goal.

—Ken Frederick

The SYNC communications and entertainment system enables voice-activated communication through a driver’s mobile phone and interaction with the car’s audio system. Every new Ford with SYNC has GPS equipment built into the SYNC module. Among its many features and options, SYNC provides location-based services, such as turn-by-turn directions, and now shares GPS coordinates with EV+.

Additionally, SYNC uses GPS to relay information about vehicle location to emergency personnel in the event of an accident through 911 Assist when the feature is properly activated.

EV+ joins a growing list of roughly 500 hybrid-specific patents Ford has accumulated in the last 20 years. Patents include everything from the leaves on the cluster screen of SmartGauge and the hands-free liftgate of the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi to an available EV-only mode button that allows customers to access electric power on-demand.

Resources

• US Patent Application Nº 20120197468: System And Method For Controlling A Vehicle