Future Ford Vehicles May Be Able To Detect Flooded Roads

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a flooded road detection and mitigation system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on February 7^th, 2024, published on August 7^th, 2025, and assigned serial number 0249919.

The Ford Authority Take

Several recently published Ford patents are centered around the idea of making future vehicles more capable of detecting various things ahead – including ideas for radar based splash detection technology, as well as a road obstacle detection system, which could help drivers avoid various hazards, if they come to fruition. Now, this newly published patent keeps that theme going with a new idea, this time, for a flooded road detection and mitigation system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.

The concept here is basically what one might assume – this system would use sensors and cameras to detect the presence of water on roadways, after which it could even determine how deep that body of water is. If the water is shallow enough not to cause a problem, the system may not do anything, but if that is the case, it could take action, if warranted. Given the fact that several people drive into flood waters on a regular basis these days – in some cases, even losing their lives as a result – such a concept could actually wind up not only being useful, but also, potentially be a literal life-saver.

“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.”