# Portable Wind Tunnels Ford is Conducting Its Wind Tunnel Tests in Mobile Shipping Container Units By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2016-05-04 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wind-tunnel-tests References: [motortrend](http://www.motortrend.com/news/fords-has-portable-wind-tunnel-to-test-new-vehicles-at-plant/) & [ford](http://www.ford.com/) The wind tunnel test is an essential part of conducting aerodynamic research on a potential new product in order to cut out unwanted noise and drag. Rather than conducting these tests in a specialized facility, [Ford](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/selfdriving-car-concept) has now developed a way to carry out tests through a mobile wind tunnel made from a shipping container. These shipping container wind tunnels can be set up at [assembly plants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/niels-bohr-car-park) in order to enable on-site testing and a greater capacity to correct concerns with early production models. For now, Ford's Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan is set to stay in place for a few weeks or months before the unit is disassembled and moved to the next plant. At this particular location, Ford makes its Mustang and Fusion models. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.6/10 - Popularity: 41% | Activity: 29% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Mobile Wind Tunnel Testing:** The development of portable wind tunnels allows for on-site aerodynamic testing and the ability to correct production concerns in real-time. - **Shipping Container Innovation:** Repurposing shipping containers as wind tunnels showcases the potential for innovative use of existing infrastructure. - **Efficiency in Manufacturing:** Using portable wind tunnels at assembly plants improves efficiency by reducing the time and cost required for off-site testing. ### Where This Applies - **Automotive Manufacturing:** The automotive industry can benefit from mobile wind tunnels by optimizing vehicle aerodynamics and reducing drag. - **Shipping and Logistics:** The repurposing of shipping containers for wind tunnel testing opens up opportunities for companies in the shipping and logistics industry to develop similar innovations. - **Aerospace Engineering:** The aerospace industry can adopt portable wind tunnels for on-site aerodynamic testing of aircrafts, leading to more efficient designs and fuel savings. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Miniature Model Wind Tunnels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/desktop-wind-tunnel.md) - [Aerodynamic Design Camping Tents](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wind-anchor-tent.md) - [Self-Powered Mobile Towers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mobile-towers.md) - [Turbine-Based Retreats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blademade-1.md) - [Travel-Ready Wind Turbines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wind-turbine-generator.md) - [Portable Chilled Storage Containers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/arcticstore-horizon.md) - [Wind Turbine Compact Houses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blademade.md) - [Portable Wind Generators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Portable-Wind-Generator.md) - [Portable Wind Turbine Generators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shine-20.md)