Ford cars could one day fool thieves on their own
What's the story
Ford has filed a patent with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for an innovative technology that would allow vehicles to autonomously escape potential theft. The system would detect suspicious activity in its vicinity and relocate itself to a safer location. It could even park against a wall, making it harder for thieves to access cargo or steal wheels.
Mechanism
How the system would identify suspicious activity
The patent describes a vehicle that could detect "suspicious activity" and relocate itself to a less risky location.
This could include scenarios like someone peeping into the windows or another car circling around.
The system could also recommend a new parking spot if it finds itself alone in what was once a crowded lot.
Strategies
Stopping wheel theft by self-parking
The patent application details various ways a vehicle could park itself for self-preservation.
These strategies are mainly aimed at preventing wheel theft, a very real threat to new vehicles.
The methods include parking between two fixed objects (like walls or other cars), on an incline, or on soft/uneven ground where using a jack would be difficult for thieves.
Content protection
Protecting expensive car parts from theft
The proposed system could also prevent theft of a car's contents by blocking access.
After the driver exits, the vehicle could find a spot and park against a wall to prevent opening of the tailgate or hatch.
This way, it could also protect expensive head- or taillights from being removed by potential thieves.
Future prospects
The technology is still in patent application stage
Despite the innovative nature of this technology, it is important to note that these concepts are still in a patent application stage. Even if Ford gets a patent for this self-preserving vehicle tech, there's no guarantee it would be implemented in production vehicles.