Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a digital shading control system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on December 30th, 2022, published on July 4th, 2024, and assigned serial number 0217435.
The Ford Authority Take
Ford has placed a great deal of emphasis on the future of vehicle interiors as of late, which it believes should drive the developmental process, in general, moving forward. As such, the automaker has also filed a bevy of patents revolving around ways to do this, including, most recently, ideas for adaptive interior controls, and a haptic feedback systems for EVs, as well as traditional ICE-powered models. Now, this newly filed patent keeps that theme going with a new idea for a digital shading control system that may be used in future Ford vehicles as well.
Aside from traditional privacy glass, many automakers have begun using modern tech to automatically or manually dim and lighten roof glass in recent years, though this feature has typically been reserved for higher-end luxury vehicles. However, this new patent sees a future where we might be able to control the transparency of the surrounding windows as well. Ford also notes that many similar, existing systems can be bulky, require additional power sources, and otherwise have a few known cons.
As such, this digital shading control system would utilize controls that are integrated into door pillars or the glass itself, and could be controlled by a capacitive touch system that’s present in the infotainment screen. This way, users could simply swipe their finger to achieve the desired level of transparency, which could come in handy for those that don’t always want a dark tint obstructing their view. As such, especially when combined with the growing popularity of existing systems, it’s easy to believe that this idea could one day come to fruition.
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Comments
Many States have a legal limit on glass shading due to visibility reduction. If you shade up your glass too much, the Police will stop you and and give a fine, even if you reverse the shading. I suggest checking your State laws, and check any State you will visit.
My co-worker had to pay $700 to replace the windshield in his vehicle. Guessing that goes up to 2-3000 with this new technology.