Future Ford Vehicles Could Get Adaptive Pedestrian Alert System

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for an adaptive pedestrian alert system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on August 30^th, 2023, published on April 15^th, 2025, and assigned serial number 12275351.

The Ford Authority Take

Ford has published a few patents aimed at using sound for various reasons, including filings for a vehicle sound emission control system that’s capable of detecting the speed of other vehicles by using a frequency that is sent from another vehicle, as well as an adaptive loudspeaker system that could help improve communications in noisy areas, such as construction sites. Now, this newly published patent introduces us to another similar idea, this time, for an adaptive pedestrian alert system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.

The concept behind this particular patent is to create a better way to warn pedestrians to the presence of vehicles, which is important given the steady rise in accidents that occur between the two, especially as vehicles have gotten quieter in recent years. At the same time, depending on the surrounding environment, existing pedestrian alerts can oftentimes be too quiet or too loud, which is precisely why Ford proposes making a system that can adapt to all sorts of variables.

If this system does come to fruition, it would first measure the ambient loudness of a vehicle’s present environment, and then make adjustments to its volume to compensate – ensuring that pedestrians can hear the vehicle, but aren’t startled by noises that are a bit too loud at the same time.

“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.”