Future Ford Vehicles Could Get Base Plate System With Swivel Lock

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a base plate system with a swivel lock that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on August 18^th, 2023, published on February 20^th, 2025, and assigned serial number 0058718.

The Ford Authority Take

Ford has filed a large number of patents exploring various ways its future pickups could utilize their cargo areas in a more efficient manner, which could pay huge dividends for folks that use them for such purposes. Those filings include ideas for things like an accessory attachment system, an adjustable base plate system, and base plates with power outlets, to name just a few. Now, this newly published patent keeps that trend going with a new idea, this time, for a base plate system with a swivel lock that may be used in future Ford vehicles,  too.

The concept here is pretty simple, and yet potentially very useful – to place a special base plate in the bed of a pickup, which is configured to hold one or more items. Those items could be locked in place using a special attachment point. It’s quite similar to an item like, say, a pegboard, but with a more complex type of mounting system that also gives users the ability to lock items in place, so that they won’t become loose and move around – or worse, fly out of the bed while the vehicle is moving. It’s an interesting idea for certain, and one that could very well come to fruition one day, whether it be in this exact form or something slightly different.

“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.”