Future Ford Delivery Vans Could Get Modular Container System

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a modular container system that may be used in future Ford delivery vans, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on August 17^th, 2023, published on February 20^th, 2025, and assigned serial number 0058835.

The Ford Authority Take

Ford has published a handful of patents recently outlining different ways that it aims to make the process of last-mile deliveries a bit more efficient. That includes ideas for a vehicle-mounted aerial drone container, a smart container system, and delivery vehicle drones, to name just a few. Now, this newly published patent keeps that trend going with a new idea, this time, for a modular container system that may be used in future Ford delivery vans, too.

Ford has explored the idea of using different containers and compartments for packages distributed during last-mile deliveries in the past, and that’s also the case here. The automaker points out that package deliveries have increased exponentially in recent years and figure to continue to do so moving forward, so there’s a need for a more efficient way to load vehicles in order to maximize space.

That’s exactly where these proposed containers would come into play – they’re designed with modularity in mind, meaning that companies could change the size to accommodate different types of packages, and yet, entire trays would fit nearly within the rear of a delivery vehicle. Those trays would also be capable of sliding out, providing a delivery driver with easy access, too – a pretty simple yet also potentially useful idea, we’d say.

“Submitting patent applications is a normal part of any strong business as the process protects new ideas and helps us build a robust portfolio of intellectual property,” Ford said in a statement. “The ideas described within a patent application should not be viewed as an indication of our business or product plans. No matter what the patent application outlines, we will always put the customer first in the decision-making behind the development and marketing of new products and services.”