Future Ford Vehicles Could Get Multi-Purpose Lighting System

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a multi-purpose lighting system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on November 10^th, 2022, published on May 16^th, 2024, and assigned serial number 0157871.

The Ford Authority Take

Ford has filed a large number of lighting-related patents over the past few months – many of which pertain to off-road or exterior lighting, specifically. That list includes ideas for a pillar light assembly, a roof-mounted light assembly, dimmable external vehicle lighting, an automatic drive mode lighting system, and lights that would be mounted between the fender and the hood. Now, this freshly filed patent adds yet another idea to this growing list – this time, for a multi-purpose lighting system that may be used in future Ford vehicles.

The concept here is to develop a multi-purpose lighting system for the exterior of future Ford vehicles, or more specifically, additional functions for what’s known as the center high mount stop lamp (CHMSL) that’s generally only currently used as an additional stop/braking light on the rear of vehicles on top of the cab or roof area – and could soon be joined by additional lighting elements as well.

If this patent comes to fruition, Ford envisions using the CHMSL in various other ways, including as a chase light for towing applications or to increase visibility in poor conditions, or as a way to display information such as the weight of the load in the bed or on a trailer, power usage information, or even customized messages that users could dictate. It’s an interesting idea for certain, and given the fact that pretty much all vehicles have a CHMSL these days, one that could be rather easy to implement as well.

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