Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a system allowing the use of adaptive cruise control with aftermarket trailer brake controllers that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on November 30th, 2023, published on June 5th, 2025, and assigned serial number 0178620.
The Ford Authority Take
With adaptive cruise control becoming rather common in new vehicles, Ford has filed a few patents outlining ways that the technology could evolve in the coming years. Those include ideas for a low visibility adaptive cruise control system, as well as an adaptive cruise control system that could make adjustments based on wiper speed. Now, this newly published patent keeps that trend going with an idea for a unique type of system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.
Currently, Ford warns owners not to use adaptive cruise control with aftermarket trailer brake controllers, but this new patent signals that it’s potentially working on a way to make those two things function together. The system would be designed to constantly monitor roadway conditions when ACC is activated, and even adjust things like engine power to compensate. It would also know if a vehicle is towing a trailer and could make adjustments accordingly – including gain – to ensure that it can safely speed up or slow down to maintain a safe distance between the vehicle(s) in front of it.
“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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