Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for deployable rock rails that may be used in future Ford Bronco SUVs, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on November 30th, 2022, published on July 22nd, 2025, and assigned serial number 12365298.
The Ford Authority Take
Ford has filed several patents outlining ideas for new types of running boards and rock rails in recent months, each of which is interesting in its own regard. That list includes concepts for modular running boards, power running boards that automatically adjust themselves, and energy absorbing rock rails, to name just a few. Now, this newly published patent adds to our growing list with a new idea for deployable rock rails that may be used in future Ford Bronco SUVs, specifically.
The purpose of rock rails is to protect vehicles from suffering damage when they encounter things like, well, rocks and other obstacles when off-roading, as many are well aware. However, today’s rock rails are generally quite similar in that they’re typically bolted into place and remain stationary from there.
Trouble is, while some rock rails can double as running boards, that isn’t always the case – in fact, some rock rails make it more difficult for people to get in and out of vehicles. As such, Ford proposes these deployable rock rails, which – like power running boards – could retract out of the way when they’re not needed, and then deploy outward when they are – a pretty useful feature, if it comes to fruition.
“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
A horrible idea. Shop installed Amp Research deployable steps on my Rubicon. Unreliable and repeatedly failed. They became particularly troublesome when I could not retract in an off-road situation where they became very vulnerable. I yanked them off. My son-in-law has a fairly recent GMC Denali with deployable steps, same dilemma.
Agree on the unreliabilty of deployable rock sliders or steps.
I can’t imagine these would be very sturdy either.
I’ll keep my frame mounted sliders on my 4R all day. They’ve saved my rocker panels a number of times.
If getting in and out is that much of a concern, skip the rock rails, your Bronco isn’t leaving pavement anyway. Rock rails should be solid… like you’re going to pivot your vehicle on a rock with it as protection.