Ferrari is a marque known for technical innovation and performance vehicles, but it’s not one of those automakers we turn to for any impressive comfort innovations in things like air conditioning — I’d rather look to a minivan for those, thank you very much. But according to a Ferrari patent shared on the ferrari296forum, the Prancing Horse is getting in the innovative climate control game.
Basically, this system uses thermal cameras to read the temperature of different parts of the cabin along with each passenger’s body. It also takes into consideration things like gender, body shape, and the clothing you’re wearing to truly understand what might be contributing to your temperature.
With all that data gathered, Ferrari’s climate system will decide the best flow, direction, circulation, and temperature of the air coming out of the vents. Basically, if you climb into the car all bundled up, the climate system is going to realise that and avoid roasting you in the cockpit like an overcooked Thanksgiving turkey.
In a drawing included with the patent, the vehicle in question is an SUV-like high-riding three-box vehicle with four seats, which would suggest that the Purosangue would be the best fit for the technology in question.
Of course, a patent doesn’t guarantee that the proposed climate system can only function in just one type of car. It also doesn’t guarantee that this idea will ever be put into production; it just prevents other auto manufacturers from using the idea before Ferrari can. But this is the kind of tech I’d actually love to see in an automobile. The dual-zone climate control systems were a game changer in and of themselves. It would be kind of nice to just trust that my car will figure out the temperature at which I’ll be the most comfortable.
That said, I do wonder if there would be an override feature on this system, or if it would only activate when you ask it to. There are plenty of occasions where I keep my car at an uncomfortable temperature, like making it a lot colder than normal as a way to keep myself alert after a long day. Getting comfy in a situation like that isn’t what I’m looking for. But in most other occasions, it would prevent me from fiddling with the controls — which is always a good thing.