(Ford)
For a car company, Ford seems to really want you to ride a bike.
Along with building several electric bicycle concepts, one with an inflatable frame and sponsoring a bike sharing scheme in San Francisco, the automaker has now designed a built-in retractable rack for its cars.
A recent patent application explains the mechanism, which is comprised of two electrically-deployable tubes that emerge from the rear bumper and are fitted with restraints for bikes and other gear, similar to the ones used with hitch-mounted carrier systems.
The description explains how it can be operated from a keyfob potentially and equipped with proximity sensors so that it doesn’t impale anything as it is deployed.
Ford used a Mustang in the technical drawings, apparently to showcase how compact and easily integrated the system is, even into a rear wheel drive car with dual exhausts.
As with many patents, there’s no telling when or if Ford will ever offer such a feature on a production vehicle.
If it ever makes that inflatable bike, it might not need to.
----------
$450,000 FORD GT TEST DRIVE: