Autonomous Vehicle News
Ford vehicle repossession system patent imageAccording to the document, deactivations would start with features like "cruise control, automated window controls, automated seat controls, and some components of the infotainment system (radio Global Positioning System (GPS), MP3 player, etc. If that's not irritating enough, an "incessant and unpleasant sound" could play "every time the owner is present in the vehicle." Ford vehicle repossession system patent image"In some other cases, the vehicle can be an autonomous vehicle and the repossession system computer may cooperate with the vehicle computer to autonomously move the vehicle from the premises of the owner to a location, such as, for example, the premises of the repossession agency, the premises of the lending institution, an impound pound, or any other pre-designated location." The lending institution could analyze the market value of the vehicle and, if it's determined to be below a threshold of financial viability for repossession, "the repossession system computer may cooperate with the vehicle computer to autonomously move the vehicle from the premises of the owner to a junkyard." Ford in particular regularly peppers the USPTO with patent applications, albeit not as dystopian-sounding as this one.