Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a responder assistance system for vehicular events that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on July 8th, 2022, published on June 24th, 2025, and assigned serial number 12337779.
The Ford Authority Take
Ford has explored adding a variety of features to its future vehicles centered around one particular topic as of late – making them safer for occupants, particularly in the event that a crash occurs. It has done so with patent filings outlining ideas for things like an occupant health protection system and an in-vehicle automated triage nurse system, and now, this newly published patent keeps that trend going with an idea for a responder assistance system for vehicular events that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.
As Ford points out in this patent filing, when an accident occurs, there are many things that can happen to the vehicle’s occupants – and if they aren’t responsive, it can be difficult or impossible for emergency responders to know what they’re dealing with until they arrive on scene. As such, this proposed system outlines a way to alert first responders if occupants have been ejected from the vehicle in an accident by using sensors to determine if their physical location has changed. It’s a relatively simple idea, and yet, one that could possibly save lives as it would provide those personnel with important information in rapid fashion.
“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.”
Comments
Not sure I’d rely on medical information of any sort, including physical ejection of a body, collected from a Ford vehicle. Probably about as effective as they way they honor warranties. Or not. Instead of worrying about this, I’d prefer Ford go back to building a quality vehicle instead of one that has recalls on a weekly basis.
Is occupant ejection really that big of an issue in modern vehicles that engineers are working on a solution? Let’s see a patent on how to produce a $20K commuter car.