Ford routinely files a number of patents on essentially a daily basis, working around the clock to secure intellectual property rights to all sorts of different ideas – some more feasible than others. However, one recently filed patent – which outlines an idea for a Ford vehicle repossession technology that could actually allow vehicles to essentially repossess themselves – understandably stirred up quite a bit of controversy recently. Luckily for those concerned about that type of tech, this Ford vehicle repossession technology apparently won’t actually be coming to a vehicle near us after all, according to NPR.
“We don’t have any plans to deploy this,” said Ford spokesperson Wes Sherwood. “We submit patents on new inventions as a normal course of business but they aren’t necessarily an indication of new business or product plans.”
This particular Ford patent raised more than a few eyebrows for a number of reasons, though its intentions are to make the actual act of repossession a bit safer for those involved. To avoid confrontation, the system outlined in the patent would be able to communicate with financial institutions such as banks that hand out vehicle loans, repossession agencies, and even the police or medical personnel. In the event that someone doesn’t make their payments on a vehicle loan, these entities would be able to communicate with each other, the vehicle, and the owner.
There are quite a few ways this proposed system would be able to entice owners to make their delinquent payments, ranging from turning off certain features such has the infotainment system or air conditioning to physically disabling the vehicle – in some cases, only allowing the owner to operate it to get to and from work or in the event of a medical emergency. In the event that they fail to make payments and a repossession is deemed necessary, the vehicle would presumably be able to move itself to a location where it could be towed, to the financial institution that issued the loan, or even to the junkyard, if the vehicle is deemed to be unworthy of saving. However, at least for now, it seems as if we won’t be seeing something like this in a Blue Oval vehicle anytime soon, if ever.
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Comments
Let me inform of a couple of things that should make current and future buyers very worried. the fact that some college know-it-all even thought of this is scary but this tech is only as good as the ones that write it and test it. I know some software engineers. When they do a google search for algorithms, it starts to concern me. Ford, why don’t you down size this department. It quite obvious they don’t have much to do.
LoL. “I know some s/w engineers who get algorithms from google”. Says you probably know script kiddies who you’ve mistaken for s/w engineers.
That’s great news! However, vigilance is needed. Did Ford really drop it, or are they waiting for the furor to die down and will re-introduce it under another guise? I’d like to think they dropped it, but these techno-fascists worry me and they are not to be trusted.
They are waiting for your p stash to reach a size worthy of grabbing.
And LoL it it’s a patent there was no proof ford had implemented it or had plans to.
That said, why would this be worse than sending out Papa Thomson with his steak cannon?
It’s not the stated purpose that is the problem, it is how the technology will be abused. A vehicle that can be repossessed from afar can be moved for a million other reasons without your consent or knowledge. Networked vehicles are a big, big mistake.
Tow trucks are a thing you know.
I not for One Second Believe that FORD MOTOR CO has decided to NOT Implement or Use this Feature! Not for One second. I think Big Brother is getting too Involved in Everything that everyone does. It’s just not right. TV’s, Cell Phones, Computer’s, Banking, you name it and they are watching what You / We do and when you do it! How to Control it???? Move out to the Wilderness with Mick Dodge, and Live OFF THE GRID! If that’s even Possible?
Federal laws that limit the data that can be connected would be very helpful. But Big Tech is Big Government’s backdoor surveillance system, which is why Congress had done next to nothing for data privacy. Push your elected state and federal officials for laws that limit data collection.
Save yourself, don’t delay, not for one minute! Please implement your personal off grid plan as soon as possible!
Jimmy thinks he Is Big Brother. He’s going to save us all from ourselves, the ignorant masses we are.
If he only saves us from K-street Nob it would be a good thing.