Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a stowable steering wheel that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on July 21st, 2023, published on January 23rd, 2025, and assigned serial number 0026396.
The Ford Authority Take
Ford has filed multiple patents outlining various ways that it could transform future vehicles into mobile offices of sorts, as well as stash physical controls away in autonomous vehicles for times when an actual human driver may not be present. That list includes ideas for a steering wheel that can be transferred into a non-steering position, as well as a stowable pedal assembly. Now, this newly published patent presents us with an idea for a stowable steering wheel that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.
This new patent filing presents us with a pretty detailed explanation of how future Ford vehicles may control stowable steering wheels based on a variety of factors, which differentiates it a bit from those aforementioned filings. In this case, the system would be able to determine the position of the steering wheel relative to objects around it, alert the driver if there’s a problem or obstruction, and even adjust the speed that it’s moving the steering wheel.
The idea here is to provide more precise control of a stowable steering wheel, which could be desirable given how everyone has their own preference for the placement of objects like that. This is particularly true if the wheel is positioned in a manner that might make riding in the driver’s seat uncomfortable, making it seemingly viable for use in future models – if it comes to fruition one day.
“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.”
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