Future Ford Vehicles May Tell Other Cars They’re Crappy

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a system designed to identify vehicles in suboptimal condition that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on January 12^th, 2024, published on July 17^th, 2025, and assigned serial number 0229771.

The Ford Authority Take

In recent months, Ford has filed a number of patents outlining ways that its future vehicles may one day be able to identify all sorts of things – including the condition of one’s tires, parts that are about to fail, and even drunk drivers. Now, this newly published patent adds another, similar idea, though it’s a bit humorous in nature – a system designed to identify vehicles in suboptimal condition that may be used in future Ford vehicles, which is an interesting concept, indeed.

Here, Ford proposes a system that would not only be able to detect when a vehicle is in need of repair or maintenance, but also, it would even transmit that information to the other vehicle in question, too, using either vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. From there, the vehicle in need of maintenance would notify the operator, who could then take action to rectify the situation. There are a few examples given here, including a vehicle towing a load that isn’t safely secured, which could present a hazard to others. On top of that, the system could notify (rat out that vehicle) to other drivers nearby, helping them avoid a potential danger, too.

“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.”