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Future Ford Vehicles May Automatically Switch Drive Modes

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a system capable of automatically switching drive modes that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on October 6th, 2022, published on April 11th, 2024, and assigned serial number 0116512.

Ford Patent System Capable of Automatically Switching Drive Modes

The Ford Authority Take

With driving modes becoming more and more popular – and prevalent – in new vehicles these days, Ford continues to file patents aimed at evolving these simple ways of changing up all kinds of variables. Those filings include ideas for an adaptive off-road feature control model, an EV burnout performance mode, and an automatic drive model lighting system, to name just a few. Now, this newly filed patent presents us with an idea for something a bit different – a system capable of automatically switching drive modes that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.

Ford Patent System Capable of Automatically Switching Drive Modes

As one might assume, this system is designed to automatically engage different drive modes based on the conditions that one is facing. It would accomplish that by using a hybrid wireless tire sensor capable of gathering real-time data in regards to temperatures, tire pressure, speed, tread, and other variables, after which it could change drive modes based on what it determines is the most appropriate for that situation.

Ford Patent System Capable of Automatically Switching Drive Modes

This can include not only changing up modes for things like snow, off-road conditions, or the track, but also, how far the vehicle is to the one in front of it when adaptive cruise control is engaged, or the distance for emergency braking protocols, as these things can also change based on conditions. The possibilities here are essentially endless, as the system could adjust all kinds of settings to compensate for conditions, and as such, it seems quite likely that we may one day see such a thing in future Ford vehicles.

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.

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.

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Comments

  1. Really? Ford is unable to deliver even the BlueCruise 1.3, which promised to deliver in the Fall of 2023
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    Reply
  2. The Ford Flex has the Sport Mode , which is a great improvement over the straight LOW Position . It can go up and also decrease the 6 gear modes. Big improvement over the CruisO -Matic !

    Reply

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