Future Ford Vehicles Could Get ID System In Puddle Lamps

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for an ID system in puddle lamps that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on October 13^th, 2022, published on April 18^th, 2024, and assigned serial number 0123942.

The Ford Authority Take

Ford has been exploring all sorts of new ways one might gain access to their vehicle in the future, filling patents for ideas such as a window based keyless entry system, powered doors with an ID system, and a vehicular facial recognition system. The automaker has also filed a couple of patents pertaining to puddle lamps, including one for an adaptive type of puddle lamp and another for a configurable puddle lamp control system. Now, it’s combining those two concepts into one with this new patent filing presenting us with an idea for an ID system in puddle lamps that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.

This particular patent proposes using puddle lamps as more than just a way to light up the exterior side portion of a vehicle, in this case, by adding a lens and circuit board to that part, along with a near-infrared light source. A palm sensor built into the circuit board would be able to read one’s vein pattern when a user holds their hand beneath it, at which point the system could authenticate that user and grant them access to the vehicle and even set things like seat positions and climate control settings to their preference.

This is certainly an interesting idea, and one that would only add to the ways we can currently gain access to vehicles that includes key fobs, key pads, and even our smartphones. However, with a rise in vehicle theft where criminals are snagging wireless transmissions using special devices, this palm sensor may also be a more secure way to do precisely that, 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 continuous Ford news coverage.