Future Ford Vehicles Could Randomly Move To Deter Theft

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for systems and methods for random vehicle movement for vehicle safety that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on March 16^th, 2021, published on March 12^th, 2024, and assigned serial number 11926282.

The Ford Authority Take

With automotive theft on the rise in recent years, Ford has filed a number of patents aimed at helping owners prevent that particular crime from happening – a list that includes a neighboring vehicle security system, a side view mirror assembly with off-roading and security features, a vehicle-to-vehicle security system, an active wheel theft prevention system, and onboard scales that could be used to deter theft, too. Now, this newly filed patent keeps that trend going with a new idea – this time, one for a system that could randomly move a vehicle around to keep it from being stolen.

As strange as that might sound, thieves tend to target homes and vehicles that are unoccupied for the most part. As Ford points out in this patent, auto thefts tend to increase on holidays, in fact, which is precisely when a lot of people are traveling to visit family. This also makes their vehicles that might be left behind easy pickings for thieves, which is why this system would randomly move vehicles around to make it appear as if the owner is, in fact, home.

Aside from that potential use, Ford also notes that when we leave vehicles sitting in one place for too long, it can cause other problems – such as battery drain and flat spots on the tires, which are also good reasons why we might want to move them a little bit from time to time. As such, this feature could serve multiple purposes at some point, if it indeed does wind up being used in future Ford vehicles.

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