Italian automobile company designs an ideal SUV specifically for parents with toddlers

A parent's car is a hotspot for kids to spill cookie crumbs, toy pieces, toffee wrappers and sometimes, even a sock or two. If you drive in a car filled with smudges all over the windows and crumbs on your seat, say hello to the Alfa Romeo Tonale Edizione Bambini - a concept car prioritizing toddlers. According to Auto Blog, the Tonale is a parent and kid-friendly concept featuring practical accessories to make parenting life easier. The word "Bambini" stands for "baby" in Italian.

Since keeping vehicles clean was the biggest gripe parents faced, Alfa Romeo has a spiffy leather organizer hanging over both front seats. It has shaped slots for a drink bottle, a bento box for snacks and pens. It also immunes the seat backs from the repeated kicks that children typically apply 3.5 times per journey. There is also a trash container on the floor behind the center console, where kids can help keep the vehicle clean. Additionally, children sitting in the middle seat have leather folders that can hold a tablet and their own "reward chart," which will help kids track their cleaning progress. More cleaning supplies, including a battery-powered vacuum charged by the Tonale, a boot cleaning brush, leather cleaner, tissues and wet wipes, are also available.

The concept of this car came after UK parents were surveyed about their driving experiences. The findings showed that 59% feel it is a challenge to keep their vehicles clean, and another 56% felt embarrassed to have other passengers because of how messy they are. In order to ensure a safe and quiet journey, the backseat has tablet holders and storage in the middle seat to stow away toys and storybooks. Huggies, the company that sells disposable diapers and wipes, discovered that 86% of parents needed to change their child's diapers "on the move." In the Alfa Romeo, a custom changing station slides out from under the parcel shelf and turns into an easy-to-clean changing mat after the hatch is raised and upholstered. 

According to Car and Driver, the Tonale is offered with one powertrain, and the plug-in hybrid features a turbo 1.3-liter four-cylinder and an electric motor that generates a combined 285 horsepower. Alfa equips the plug-in Tonale with a six-speed automatic and a 15.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that provides over 30 miles of electric-only driving range. North Americans will have to wait to drive a U.S.-spec model to prove Alfa's claims, but the brand promises a driving experience true to its "race-inspired DNA."

If that was not enough, parenting duties are also aided by the retractable changing station in the cargo area and the baby monitor in the back seat. You can also say goodbye to mirrors that help you see what your baby is up to because the baby monitor in the backseat shows you a live feed that can be connected to smartphones via an app that guardians in the front row can check.

If you are planning to purchase the car, you might want to wait because Alfa Romeo told Motor1 that they "will look at every opportunity" before putting this project into production. The Tonale Edizione Bambini provides practical solutions for seamless parenting with sophisticated hybrid powertrains, innovative technology and admiring looks that make Edizione Bambini an ideal SUV for families.