Ford Could Have a Wild Feature on Tap for Future SUVs

Car companies patent a wide range of inventions. Some are super practical and will appear in production vehicles soon. Others are more speculative and weird; Ford has patents for a round mobile conference room and a center console that turns into a motorbike launched out of the front of the vehicle. Motor 1 found a new patent of the more speculative variety that would be a wild edition to Ford’s SUV lineup.

What is the patent?

The patent is for the “side door of a vehicle.” Essentially, it’s a massive, asymmetrical gullwing door that could open up the entire vehicle’s passenger side. Figures show it appearing on an SUV.

Why would you want that?

The large opening would allow dramatically easier entry to the cabin. It could make accessing a third row less of a challenge. It could be more accommodating for passengers with disabilities. Or it could just make it easier to load cargo.

USPTO

Will this crazy gullwing door appear in a new production car soon?

Probably not. Gullwing doors have been around for more than 70 years; the Mercedes 300SL debuted them back in the 1950s. They are very seldom used, however, as the drawbacks swamp the benefits.

Such doors are technically feasible. But you need some sort of power and hydraulic system to lift the door against gravity (and space to house it). Door sealing has to be improved to prevent leaks. There are safety considerations. And those are the considerations with a traditional gullwing door, let alone a massive asymmetrical one that may require the rest of the vehicle to be planned around that singular feature.

It would be an expensive option to add; picture a few thousand dollars on an Explorer production run of ~1.5 million vehicles. And you could achieve much of the same utility more simply by having a minivan-style sliding door. It’s hard to see the “let’s not do this” side losing the argument.

Could such a door appear in the future?

It’s possible. Self-driving vehicles should arrive eventually. And there’s a good bet that will change how vehicles look. Current car designs prioritize the driver. But self-driving cars — whether it’s city taxis or expensive personal vehicles — will emphasize rear passenger comfort more. Perhaps a massive asymmetrical door could make sense on a 2040 Lincoln Navigator you’re not driving yourself.

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