Ford Wants Its Trucks to Repo Themselves if You Miss A Payment
This latest patent filing would make it easier for repossession agencies to retrieve Ford trucks from those that don’t make their payments.
Ever since the automotive loan became a thing, so has the repossession, or the act of (sometimes) forcibly taking back that piece of property if owners fail to make their payments as expected. As some have seen on more than one TV show, this particular job can sometimes prove dangerous, because, well, folks don’t take kindly to lenders taking their vehicles from them. Thus, FoMoCo has come up with a possible way to make that job a bit safer via a new patent that indicates in the future, our Ford trucks may actually be able to repossess themselves – but that’s just one aspect of this fairly extensive filing.
First discovered by The Drive, this patent – titled “Systems and Methods to Repossess a Vehicle” – clearly outlines ways to make the repossession process a bit easier and safer, including enabling autonomous vehicles to move themselves from one location to another upon command, whether that be to a location where a tow truck might be able to access it more easily or to other places, including the parking lot of a repossession agency, the lending institution, or even the junkyard, if the vehicle is deemed unworthy of saving.
Aside from simply repossessing themselves, future Ford trucks and other vehicles could also see certain features disabled if owners don’t make their payments on time. The patent also mentions locking out the owner so they can’t access the vehicle, disabling the powertrain, or even preventing the air conditioning, infotainment system, or window and seat controls from working. Owners would, of course, receive plenty of warning messages before these things actually happen – and even loud, annoying noises, potentially – to remind them that they need to pony up the cash and make their payments as scheduled.
Of course, there are some caveats here – the system would apparently allow owners to use their vehicles to go to work or in the event of a medical emergency, which it could apparently determine via a connection with medical services. The key here is the rise of connected vehicle services – a booming industry that Ford envisions as a major money maker moving forward. Connected vehicles present us with a lot of benefits and cool features – such as over-the-air updates – but then again, there’s the possibility that things like this could ultimately stem from that type of technology, too.
Obviously, on the surface, such an idea is rather alarming, but as is the case with all patents, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it will become a reality. Many patent filings remain just that – filings – and Ford files many of them on a weekly basis, ranging from silly and oftentimes humorous ideas to actual good ones that eventually become a reality – such as the S650 Mustang’s electronic drift brake. Regardless, this patent is also a reminder that while technology can be a good thing, it can also be used in other, perhaps unsavory ways, too.
Photos: Ford
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