Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for an identity access management system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on February 21st, 2023, published on June 29th, 2023, and assigned serial number 0202413.
The Ford Authority Take
Back in February 2022, Ford filed a patent for a digital personal assistant with a configurable personality, which it followed up with another filling for a vehicle identity access management system. Now, the automaker has filed a very similar patent that outlines an idea for an identity access management system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, on the heels of comments from CEO Jim Farley regarding how future EVs will get customized user experiences.
As this patent points out, most connected features present in modern vehicles are vehicle-centric, related to functions like seat controls, radio settings, or profiles that automatically change those types of things depending on what user is driving the vehicle. There are times, however, when one user may want to share certain features with another user – such as radio subscriptions, while also keeping things like HVAC temperature and seat positioning separate, and that’s precisely where this system comes into play.
Thus, this system would be able to identify users via their mobile device, as is the case with many vehicles these days, but it would also be able to detect when a second user is entering the vehicle as well. From there, the system could switch settings based on predetermined user presences in that regard. It’s a bit of a change compared to the way things currently work, and a potentially useful one for those that share vehicles among multiple parties.
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 comprehensive Ford news coverage.
Comments
future phone conversation…
You: Hey boss, sorry I can’t make it to work today.
Boss: Why they heck not?
You: Well, the cloud is down and I’m locked out of my Ford Explorer.
Boss: Well damn, let me check…. holy moley I’m locked out of mine too.
Meanwhile at Ford:
CEO Farley: What do you mean our cloud is down
Ford IT: Well, we got hit by ransomware that encrypted everything.
CEO Farley: Don’t we have stuff to prevent that.
Ford IT: Well we were going to buy that but the CTO rejected it because it was too expensive.
CEO Farley: What do we do?
Ford IT: Well we could pay the ransom?
CEO Farley: How much is it?
Ford IT: It’s just $100.
CEO Farley: Hell no, that’s too expensive.
Ford IT: What do you want to do sir?
CEO Farley: I’m going fishing in my van down by the river.
Ford IT: You can’t do that sir.
CEO Farley: The heck I can’t. I’m the CEO.
Ford IT: You can’’t sir, because you’re locked out of your van.
One more tool in Ford’s total surveillance network. Ford wants to know everything about you, so they can sell your data.
This is just more automotive bloatware that jacks up the price of the hardware, software, and maintenance. Another money grab.