Future Ford Vehicles May Get External Display For Payloads

May 23, 2023 12:36 pm

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for an external display for payloads that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on August 18^th, 2022, published on May 23^rd, 2023, and assigned serial number 11654824.

The Ford Authority Take

Ford has filed quite a few patents pertaining to cargo carrying capabilities in recent months, including one for a measurement system for cargo, a holographic projection system, and a new type of cargo management system, to name just a few. Now, that trend continues with this newly filed patent, which outlines an idea for an external display for payloads that may be used in future Ford vehicles.

When the current-generation Ford F-150 debuted for the 2021 model year, The Blue Oval began offering customers a new feature called Onboard Scales, which measures and displays the approximate weight of the payload in the truck. Load information is displayed in the center touch screen with a graphic representation of the truck, on a mobile phone through the FordPass app, or in graphics within the truck’s smart taillamps, which display the percentage of payload capacity by illuminating LEDs arranged in a built-in vertical bar. This new patent outlines a similar system, albeit one that’s a bit more complicated.

Rather than using a simple series of bars similar to a smartphone’s battery gauge, the system in this patent would instead use a screen – visible from outside the vehicle – to display more pertinent information such as the payload margin, unladen weight, laden weight change, and any other messages that might be useful for those loading a pickup with cargo.

It’s an interesting idea for certain, and one that definitely has merit as Ford continues to seek out new ways to make the act of hauling and towing things much easier – particularly for those that aren’t experienced at such things. However, in this case, the system outlined in this patent also seems like it would be a great way for those that frequently haul heavy loads to save time, 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.

By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.