Future Ford Vehicles Could Get Retractable Bumper Assembly

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a retractable bumper assembly that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on May 19^th, 2023, published on November 21^st, 2024, and assigned serial number 0383425.

The Ford Authority Take

In recent months, Ford has published a number of patents pertaining to different types of bumpers we might one day have on our vehicles – a list that includes ideas for a bumper assembly with an integrated airbag, a front bumper with an integrated lower support, downwardly deployable bumpers, and a bumper-mounted inflatable device, to name just a few. Now, this newly published patent keeps expanding that list, this time, with an interesting idea for a retractable bumper assembly that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.

As is the case with those aforementioned patient filings, this new idea is designed to help prevent pedestrian injuries in the event that vehicles come into contact with them – an increasingly common problem in today’s world. Many countries are implementing new rules and regulations aimed at mitigating these risks, but when it comes to taller, larger vehicles like vans, trucks, and SUVs, the bumper height may put them at a disadvantage in that regard since it typically positions it around a person’s leg, which means that the force of the impact can be unevenly distributed and perhaps result in more serious injuries.

As a result, Ford proposes potentially using this retractable bumper design in its future vehicles, which would rely on a relatively simple system with a rod, bracket, and spring that could be disengaged when a vehicle is traveling over a certain speed. This way, the bumper would retract in the event that it is going to collide with a pedestrian and more evenly distribute the force from that impact, which could reduce the risk of severe injuries occurring.