DETROIT, MI - Ford Motor Co. unveiled Monday a new experiment that studies how electric bicycles can be involved with an urban transportation system.
The Dearborn automaker said the Handle on Mobility endeavor, announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, is an expansion of its Smart Mobility plan, which is Ford's overall study in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, customer experience and big data.
The company notes that traffic problems have economic and social impact in large cities, citing stats from the European Commission that say congestion within European Union countries cost about 100 billion euros per year (about $112 billion), while the U.K. Office of National Statistics says that every minute added to a commute affects anxiety, happiness and general well-being.
Ford began its Handle on Mobility project by tasking its employees throughout the globe with submitting designs for electric bikes.
From more than 100 submitted, two prototypes have emerged - the MoDe:Me and MoDe:Pro, seen above - and are currently being presented at the Mobile World Congress.
The foldable, prototype bikes use a 200-watt motor and 9-amp-hour battery that gives an electric pedal assist for speeds of up to 25 km/h, or about 22.8 mph.
Much like modern vehicles, the bikes have ultrasonic rear sensors that alert the cyclist when a vehicle is approaching too close by vibrating the handlebars. The same sensors alert motorists of the cyclists' presence by illuminating lights on the handlebars.
"There are so many ways to get around a city, but what is really needed is a way to connect all of these transport options together," Ken Washington, vice president, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering, said in a release. "Being able to seamlessly move between cars, buses, trains and e-bikes and react to changing traffic situations can make a big difference both for commuters and for those delivering goods, services and healthcare."
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter