Photo: Ford
Ford took every precaution to ensure that its all-electric Mustang Mach-E, the first-ever Car and Driver EV of the Year, would surpass expectations. And that, as it turns out, includes calling upon one of its greatest weapons: Robutt.
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Robutt, Ford’s robotic butt, was crucial in ensuring that the seats in the all-new Mustang Mach-E would be comfortable and durable. Engineers programmed Robutt to simulate different bodyweights and the effects of someone getting in and out of their seats 25,000 times.
Perhaps a less exciting gig than Ford’s two robot test drivers, but I doubt Robutt cares. It knows what it is.
In addition, Ford also subjected the Mustang Mach-E’s ActiveX seats to chemical and abrasion tests and flexed the material 100,000 times to ensure that it resists cracking. Ford simulated 10 years of use, confirming that the Mustang Mach-E will stand up to lots of sitdowns.
Ford torture-tests Mustang Mach-E paint and screen
Photo: Ford
While Robutt had one of the most important jobs in testing the durability of the Mustang Mach-E, Ford put the EV through its paces in several other ways.
Torture testing included passing a Mustang Mach-E through an automatic conveyer wash 60 times, simulating the effects of two years’ worth of bi-monthly carwashes. Ford engineers even hit the Mustang Mach-E with a high-pressure sprayer that hit water temperatures of up to 140 degrees.
Photo: Ford
Ford also brutalized the exterior of the Mustang Mach-E with 300 miles of stone-chip testing on gravel roads. This ensures that the EV can travel on gravel without drivers needing to fear significant rock damage.
“Electric vehicles shouldn’t be limited to nicely paved city streets and suburbia,” said Donna Dickson, chief program engineer, Mustang Mach-E. “We tested Mustang Mach-E so that customers can confidently live on or adventure down gravel roads and not worry about their paint easily chipping.”
Another focal point was the Mustang Mach-E’s 15.5-inch touch screen, which uses highly durable Dragontrail glass to prevent shattering. The screen mount is made of magnesium, which helps the screen stay in place even when bumped or pulled.
“We knew we had to go above and beyond to make sure it is durable enough to withstand daily customer interactions — think purses and bags hitting it, pets bumping into it, children playing with it, and so on. You need that deep customer understanding to identify the potential issues and work to prevent them,” Dickson added.
Thanks to Ford’s commitment to beating the Mustang Mach-E within an inch of its life — and Robutt’s commitment to being a robotic butt form — you can bank on the Mustang Mach-E looking good and performing smoothly for years to come.
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Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.