Ford Files Patent for Systems to Repossess Vehicles by Locking Features

Ford Global Technologies, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, has filed a patent for new “systems and methods to repossess a vehicle,” including potentially locking certain features after missed payments. The application notes a feature locking a delinquent owner of his or her vehicle could include an emergency mode that would override the lock if the driver needed to travel to seek urgent medical care. CBS News quoted a statement from Ford saying the company does not “have any plans to deploy this [technology].” Ford added that it was granted 1,342 patents in 2022. Citing patent attorney Michael Messinger, the outlet noted that companies often patent ideas to keep their competitors from using them and that the patent process is often lengthy and complex. However, the Drive’s Peter Holderith wrote many vehicles equipped to receive over-the-air software updates may already be capable of implementing some of the features mentioned in the application “without physical modifications.”