How does an automaker like Ford stay relevant in a future where most forms of transportation will be ordered with the push of a button?  

We went to one of the world's largest cities, where most people don't even own cars ... and opened a store that doesn't sell them. Instead, our store serves as an epicenter for all forms of transportation. We call it FordHub.

There’s no cash register, and nothing to sell. FordHub is an innovation playground — a space full of interactive digital displays and exhibits, dedicated to immersing people in all forms of mobility solutions. We’re helping people get where they need to go today using real-time data like never before, and giving them a place to connect with, and even help shape, the future of transportation.

Visitors are drawn in by a storefront mobility map display that brings together real-time info using APIs and select Twitter feeds from all of New York’s major transportation services. So in a single source, you can check when your train is coming in, find a new way to get uptown, see the number of bikes available at the closest kiosk, or even fly through the city checking out attractions and info about upcoming events along the way.

A traffic-flow art exhibit makes you a co-creator of a congestion-free city. Virtual reality and gaming experiences immerse you into the future of mobility. And the entire experience is brought together in a living visualization of a smart city of the future.

At the center of it all is FordPass — an app that will allow you to carry FordHub in your pocket and connect to other emerging transportation services from around the world.

Since FordHub opened, more people have seen the value of Ford’s mobility solutions.

FordHub visitors have exceeded benchmarks by 433 percent.

Despite New York City being the sole location, FordHub has sparked social conversation in more than 40 countries around the world.

FordPass.com has seen a 165 percent increase in site social shares, while the center of it all, the FordPass app, has seen a 21 percent increase in engagement. There have been 31.2 million social impressions in the first two months.

Our goal with FordHub isn’t to sell cars; it’s to shift brand perception. And it’s working. While affinities related to FordHub conversation on Twitter are high for cars, they’re 500 percent higher for topics such as urban planning, innovation and bicycling.

All the attention has helped shift perception of Ford from an automotive company to a transportation company and keeps Ford relevant in the evolving world of transportation.