Future Ford Vehicles Could Get Retractable Tie Downs

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for retractable tie downs that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on September 9^th, 2022, published on March 14^th, 2024, and assigned serial number 0083336.

The Ford Authority Take

In recent years, Ford has filed a handful of patents that aim to better incorporate certain features into vehicles, which may also be capable of being “hidden” away when they’re not needed. This list includes ideas for retractable extension cords, retractable exhaust tips, and turn signals integrated into tie-downs, to name just a few. Now, this freshly filed patent keeps that trend going by introducing an idea for a different kind of retractable tie downs that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.

In this case, the tie-down design presented by Ford would be incorporated into a vehicle’s fenders, and when not in use, it would reside in a retracted position within that part. However, when one has the need to secure cargo, they could simply flip the tie-down outward, at which point they could attach rope and all kinds of different items – whether that be a canoe/kayak, ladder, surf board, or just about anything one can imagine.

Plenty of people already use tie-downs for such purposes, so having them built directly into fenders seems like a great way to make that process simpler – and, as Ford notes in the patent, could prevent a vehicle’s exterior paint from getting scratched up, too. As such, this simple yet potentially useful idea could wind up being used on future Ford vehicles at some point.

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 ongoing Ford news coverage.