Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for an adaptive off-road feature control model that may be used in future Ford SUVs, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on August 15th, 2022, published on February 15th, 2024, and assigned serial number 0051541.
The Ford Authority Take
Ford’s focus on innovating in terms of off-road-friendly vehicle technology continues to grow on a daily basis, right along with the popularity of such offerings. Over the past few years, the automaker has filed patents for a variety of interesting off-road-related features such as an autonomous off-roading system, an off-road lighting control system, an off-road drivability guidance system, and an an off-road track recommendation system, to name just a few. Now, that trend continues with this new patent filing outlining an idea for an adaptive off-road feature control model that may be used in future Ford SUVs.
As Ford notes in the patent filing, many vehicles today come with an array of drive modes – including, of course, those pertaining specifically to off-road style situations such as driving in mud, sand, snow, ice, and even crawling rocks. With many owners taking their vehicles out to various off-road parks – many of which are already mapped – it makes sense to think that one day, our vehicles may be able to take control if needed or desired.
This system aims to do precisely that, potentially helping owners of future Ford SUVs cover various surfaces and obstacles that might otherwise prove challenging for novices or beginners, perhaps even saving them – and their vehicles – in the process. It’s an interesting idea for sure, one that’s akin to on-road adaptive cruise control systems present in many current vehicles, and as such, it may very well come to fruition at some point in the future.
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