A patent was published last week detailing a Ford-created repossession system that could take control of a vehicle in the event of auto loan delinquency.
Although it was submitted in 2021, the patent became public on Feb. 23. Within, Ford described its repossession system as capable of turning certain components off, and, if installed in a vehicle with self-driving software, relocating itself to make repossession easier. This includes driving all the way to “the premises of the repossession agency,” or even to a junkyard if the lender deems the “financial viability of executing a repossession procedure” to be too expensive. This does not mean that Ford vehicles will be sneaking out of driveways any time soon, however.
Even before the vehicle enters “repossession mode,” the patent notes that a series of warnings and disabled functions, such as air conditioning, would alert the driver of their loan delinquency. The longer these inconveniences are ignored, the more severe they become, with the patent going so far as to threaten future Ford owners with a “incessant and unpleasant sound” whenever they enter the car. Only after these measures fail will the vehicle take matters into its own hands.
Furthermore, simply because a patent exists does not mean its author is prepared to build an actual product. The self-driving aspect of Ford’s repossession system, while mildly dystopian, is unlikely to see use until vehicle autonomy approaches infallibility. Automakers also have little to gain in the development of such a service, since their bottom dollar is typically protected by the franchise system. Regardless, the brand has yet to officially comment on the matter.
