Future Ford Vehicles May Get Resettable Energy Absorbing Bumpers

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for resettable energy absorbing bumpers that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on September 22^nd, 2022, published on January 28^th, 2025, and assigned serial number 12208758.

The Ford Authority Take

As vehicle-on-pedestrian injuries and deaths continue to rise, many countries around the world have sought to improve safety in that area – along with automakers. Many companies have begun coming up with ways to soften the impact of vehicles if they do come into contact with pedestrians, whether that be via a specially designed bumper or hood. Ford has filed a number of patents outlining potential ways to do precisely that, including ideas for a bumper with an integrated airbag, a bumper with a special sort of lower section, downwardly deployable bumpers, and a retractable bumper assembly. Now, this newly published patent presents us with an idea for resettable energy absorbing bumpers that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.

Once again, the idea here is to create a bumper that will help reduce the impact a vehicle’s bumper could have on a pedestrian’s legs, if those two things were to come into contact with each other. Since modern trucks, SUVs, and vans tend to ride higher and have bumpers positioned in places that can be troublesome in that sort of scenario, Ford proposes adding an energy absorbing element that would help soak up some of that force.

This particular bumper design employs precisely that, with the resettable energy absorbing apparatus located behind the bumper assembly itself, and connecting to the frame rails on the other end. This way, the bumper would be able to move backward somewhat and mitigate the impact of a crash, and then extend back out to a regular position in normal scenarios. It’s an interesting idea for certain, but as always, this patent doesn’t necessarily reflect Ford’s plans or future technology strategy.