SAN FRANCISCO (CNNMoney) — Babies love car rides. They’re soothed by the vibration from the road and gentle the hum of the engine. For some tots, it’s the only thing that will make them go to sleep.
Unfortunately, babies are terrible drivers and rarely chip in for gas. Stopping everything to take them for a spin every time they’re fussy is inconvenient.
Ford — yes, the car company — might have a solution. It has made a prototype of a new kind of crib that simulates all the best parts of a car ride without the exhaust.
The Max Motor Dreams looks like a designer bassinet from the outside, except with a large FORD logo. A speaker under the baby plays engine sounds. The base of the crib slowly rocks from side to side, simulating the sensation of a moving car. The rim of the crib is lined with LED lights that turn on an off, like passing under streetlights.
Experts say white noise and repetitive movements remind babies of being in of the womb. The Max design looks very similar to the Snoo, another smart crib released earlier this year. Created by renowned industrial designer Yves Behar, pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp, and MIT engineers, the $1,600 Snoo also automates the rocking and white noise babies love.
Some old fashioned parents recreate the sensations manually, bouncing their babies in their arms while making shushing noises with their mouths.
The Max Motor Dreams crib is not actually available to the public. The crib was designed for Ford as part of an ad campaign to promote its Max line of cars. The car company is holding a raffle for the crib. However, Ford says it is considering mass producing the crib due to popular demand.
