Ford Has A New Kind Of Robot

There’s now a robot to test car seats before they’re put in cars. And yes, its name is “Robutt”. Test dummies and crash tests are nothing new for the automotive industry, but a robot specifically for seat comfort is.

Ford Europe took seat design to a new level when it came up with a test rig for the Fiesta that is an automated backside made to replicate a human and is meant to simulate 25,000 vehicle entries and exits. Ford says the test is to replicate normal wear that would take place over a decade, condensed to the span of three weeks. Unfortunately for all of us here in America, the Fiesta won’t be sold anymore so we won’t be able to see how well the testing actually holds up. Do you think there’s really a noticeable difference? Check out the whole video at PowerNationTV.com

This week Katie has two gorgeous rides that best represent the quality and variety you’ll see at the Summit Racing Show Car Series. Former General Manager of the ISCA Bob Millard will be her guest to talk about the 28 car shows in the series. The International Car Show Association (ISCA) is the sanctioning body behind the series. Owners from all over the U.S. and Canada compete for the title of Grand Champion.

In the studio is a 1939 Ford Coupe owned by Bob’s wife Sandy. It’s got a small block Chevy 350 bored over to 355, custom paint, custom interior and a slick BASF “red” wrap. The second car belongs to Megan Tracy and is a show-stopping 1970 Camaro RS. It’s powered by a Chevy 350 making 385 horsepower and features custom interior and custom wheels.