Newly published Ford patent would allow company to shut down key features if driver misses payments

A prospective Ford technology would allow the company to remotely shut down features and otherwise lock down vehicles whose owners don’t make their car payments. The repossession system computer for cars has yet to receive final approval for patent protection. Repossession computers could also be configured to connect with law enforcement and medical facilities, giving them the ability to stop some car features or shut down the vehicle as well. In the patent, Ford classifies car features based on how necessary they are to drive the vehicle. Mr. Van Alst further likened the remotely implemented technology to the Soviet doomsday device in the 1964 Stanley Kubrick movie “Dr.