Ford Designed A Baby Crib That Simulates Car Rides

What you're seeing here is a baby crib designed and built by Ford. Yes, the car company, and no, this isn't a late April Fools' joke. It's dubbed the Max Motor Dreams, and it's essentially a "smart bed" for babies that can simulate the feel of riding in a car — a well-known trick for parents with little ones that have difficulty falling asleep. It uses sound, lighting, and motion to mimic the feel of a gentle car ride from the backseat.

The crib comes from a Ford design team in Spain, and you'll be disappointed to learn that there's only one in existence so far. The tiny bed is outfitted with LEDs that glow in a hue similar to passing street lights, while a speaker on the bottom produces ambient noise in the form of muffled engine sounds. It also gently vibrates to provide the sense of movement and motion that's felt during car rides.

The most impressive feature, however, might be the accompanying smartphone app that allows users to track and record their car's sounds and movements from a route. This data can then be sent to the Max Motor Dreams crib, which means babies can experience a specific trip that they may have become accustomed to.

Ford says that it has no plans at the moment to produce and sell the crib, indicating that it's likely just a design concept. But the company is running a contest in Spain where one lucky person to test drive the Ford Max vehicle can walk away with the baby bed. Now we just need to hope they smarten up and make an adult-sized version.

SOURCE Ford