Ford made a concept car in the 60s so odd it was actually well ahead of its time

One of the harshest truths about technology and innovation is that being too early is sometimes just as bad as being too late.

Automotive history is packed with great ideas that were deemed bad simply because it was too soon.

Ford knows a thing or two about it.

This, for example, is the Ford Aurora, a concept car that was way ahead of its time.

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Ford has been around forever, some would say the American automaker actually invented the car as we know it because Henry Ford famously pioneered the assembly line.

A daring brand, Ford doesn’t shy away from unusual and unorthodox concepts.

In a way, the Ford Aurora shares a few traits with the Unitron, in that both feature a large space at the back that can be used as an office or a living room.

But it’s fair to say the Aurora, which currently lives in the Henry Ford Museum, went further.

Ford Aurora is a car with an oven, and 12 headlights

The headline act of the Aurora is the 12-headlight set-up.

At the front, the Aurora has 12 lamps, one next to the other, centrally located right in the middle of the front bumper.

The rear section features a totally different layout, with more traditional taillights.

The other thing that made the car stand out is the interior.

In 1964, the Aurora featured revolving seats, so that the front passenger could face the passengers in the bench seats at the back, in a living room-style layout that we find in so many cars today.

And it gets better, the roof and the wraparound glass windshield are covered with two layers of polarizing material, which means, at the touch of a button, you could have a dim effect and, if needed, choose to let no sunlight through at all.

The Aurora also came with electroluminescent trim, six turn indicators, a heat-reflecting roof panel, electric flush door handles, and a roll bar.

Again, we’re talking about the 1960s here.

Cars are now living rooms

Partly due to the rise of self-driving cars, a lot of car brands are now reworking the interior to make the cabin look more like a living room.

But this isn’t limited to autonomous cars either, because of course there are many companies doing that with luxury vans, such as the Mercedes Viano that’s turned into a private jet for the road.

But again, since self-driving cars are all the rage at the moment, this trend can only get bigger.

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