Future Ford Vehicles Could Get Parts Theft Detection System

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a parts theft detection system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on March 10^th, 2023, published on September 12^th, 2024, and assigned serial number 0300444.

The Ford Authority Take

In recent years, thieves are not only making off with more and more vehicles, but also, the pricey parts that they’re equipped with, as it’s seemingly easier to commit that type of crime and get away with it. This means that a lot of Ford owners are becoming victims of thefts pertaining to things like tailgates, wheels, and catalytic convertors. To help combat this, Ford has filed a few patents with ideas revolving around things like a random vehicle movement system to throw off thieves, as well as an active wheel theft prevention system, and a wheel theft detection system.

Now, this newly filed patent aims to prevent catalytic converter theft in future Ford vehicles by using a a variety of Ultra-Wideband sensors, which would help determine if the threat of such a thing exists. The sensors would be on the lookout for unknown devices, specifically (such as cell phones), and they would also be able to determine how close those devices are to the vehicle, as well as if or when they breach a certain area – such as the undercarriage of that vehicle.

If this is indeed the case, the system would automatically activate the vehicle’s alarm system or other theft prevention techniques, which in most cases should help prevent theft from occurring. As Ford points out in the patent, such a system could be implemented into existing or older vehicles as well, making for a less expensive type of upgrade that could potentially save owners a large replacement bill if their catalytic converter is stolen.