Ford’s prototype bed will keep sleep rollers in their place

Ford has taken a break from developing car technology to tackle an old perennial problem: bed hogs that just can’t stay on their side.

Yes, that Ford. The motoring company has developed a prototype bed that will gently shift the offending sleeper back onto their side of the bed without rousing them from their slumber, meaning a better night’s sleep for both parties.

Appropriately enough for a prototype revealed around Valentine’s Day, Ford says the technology could play a part in tackling the scourge of “bed divorce” where a couple decides that sleeping in separate beds is the only way to ensure a decent night’s shut-eye.

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The way it works is pretty simple: pressure sensors built into the bed detect when a sleeper encroaches onto the wrong side of the bed, at which point a conveyor belt kicks in to adjust the mattress and return the bed hog back to their side. Ford calls the whole process “gentle,” and claims that both parties will remain asleep throughout, but it probably depends on how much of a light sleeper you are. And if you are a heavy sleeper, you likely won’t be bothered by your partner encroaching on your side anyway.

The question you’re probably asking at this point is why Ford is considering sleep technology, rather than its usual fare of wheels, engines and dashboards. Apparently, the two have more in common than you think, and the bed was inspired by Ford’s Lane-Keeping Aid technology which monitors the road and nudges the steering wheel to keep drivers safely in their lane. As such, the bed has been christened “the Lane-Keeping Bed.”

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It’s not the first time Ford has moved its technology off the roads and into the home. Last year the company made headlines when it devised a noise-cancelling kennel to keep dogs from getting anxious when fireworks fill the sky.

Clever solution or overkill? Let us know what you think of the Lane-Keeping Bed on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.