Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a proximity alert system that could be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on October 12th, 2021, published on March 21st, 2023, and assigned serial number 11610489.
The Ford Authority Take
Ford has filed a handful of patents presenting ideas for how to prevent vehicle-to-pedestrian, cyclist, and other similar types of accidents recently, including one for a traffic warning system that activates when a vehicle’s doors are open, as well as one for doors that can automatically open for drivers and passengers that also takes into account the presence of others. We’ve also seen this sort of tech make it to an actual production vehicle – the just-revealed European electric Ford Explorer – which has a feature called “Clear Exit Assist” warning occupants of the presence of nearby cyclists when they might want to open their door.
Now, this new Ford patent introduces a similar yet also unique idea for a proximity alert system that would be capable of recognizing a signal emitted by bicycles or scooters. If the system detects that a cyclist or scooter rider is nearby, it would then display a warning message on the vehicle’s infotainment screen, alerting the occupants and hopefully preventing a collision.
This system is quite similar to others that have debuted in recent years, including rear seat warning alerts that stem from children and animals being left in hot cars. With bicycles and scooters proving to be popular alternative modes of transportation – particularly in crowded cities – this system makes a lot of sense as well, and could very well wind up finding its way into future Ford vehicles, too.
We’ll have more on this and all Ford patents soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford patent news, Ford business news, and non-stop Ford news coverage.
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