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Ford Buys Into Zebra Imaging: Shows World's Largest Hologram

18 March 1999

Fuel Cell Concept Car Shown as World's Largest Hologram; Ford Acquires Interest in Zebra Imaging

    DEARBORN, Mich., March 18 -- Ford Motor Company has
acquired an equity interest in Zebra Imaging, an Austin, Texas, firm that
developed with Ford a breakthrough process for viewing electronic design data
in 3-D.  The hologram display, being exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show,
provides an inside look at a futuristic, zero-emissions family sedan -- and at
the same time a sneak preview of how cars and trucks might be designed in the
next century.
    The concept car is the Ford P2000 Prodigy, but it isn't being shown in
traditional metals, fiberglass or clay.  Instead, it takes the form of the
world's largest full-color, full-parallax hologram -- a 50 percent scale,
three-dimensional image projected from a 40-square-foot panel.  The exterior
of the P2000 Prodigy is a translucent red, allowing the viewer to see inside
to the vehicle's futuristic powertrain -- a hydrogen fuel cell.
    "Ford P2000 Prodigy represents the future of the family sedan --
efficient, clean but fully functional with no compromises on safety, quality
or driving dynamics," said J Mays, Ford vice president - Design.  "It's only
fitting we display this futuristic car in a completely new form.  Our
holography display is a first look at a promising technology in its infancy.
Perhaps it's also a glimpse into the future of product development at Ford."
    The display was developed by Zebra Imaging, in partnership with Ford's
Advanced Design Studio.  The large hologram demonstrates application of a
design concept Ford calls "3-D Hardcopy."  Future Ford designers will use
similar holograms to supplement traditional 2-D sketches that are created in
the earliest stages of concept development, before the first clay models are
milled.
    Ford has acquired a 12 percent equity stake in Zebra Imaging, and will
continue to work with the company on a variety of advanced imaging concepts.
    "We look forward to developing this strategic relationship to work with
Ford in applying our holographic technology to the automotive industry," said
Alex Ferdman, CEO - Zebra Imaging.  "Until now the potential of holography has
not been realized due to the intensive manual process required to create a
hologram.  Zebra's mission is to fully automate the medium and make it broadly
accessible for commercial and consumer applications."
    Farther into the future, full-scale, interactive holograms eventually may
replace some of the clay models currently used in automotive product
development.  Ford is working with strategic partners on both sides of the
Atlantic to develop new "replacement reality" technologies that could be used
by Ford designers worldwide to design and engineer vehicles in the next
decade.  The main objective is to achieve high-quality, high-resolution, full-
color computer-generated images, while at the same time optimizing the
interface between the electronic tool and the designer or engineer.