Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with a statement from Ford.
Dearborn-based Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F), known for its work trucks, has patented a method for detecting and responding to speeding violations.
What Happened: According to the patent application by Ford published on July 18, the processor in a law enforcement vehicle, such as the Ford Police Interceptor, can identify the speed of a second vehicle with the help of a vehicle speed detection system.
The first vehicle can then operate a camera to capture an image of the second vehicle if the speed exceeds a threshold, the patent application proposed.
The image could then be evaluated for identifying features of the second vehicle and a record could be generated including the speed measurement, the image, and the identifying feature.
In certain cases, the record may be transmitted to another law-enforcement vehicle or an Internet-Of-Things (IoT) unit on the roadside, Ford said in the filing, to enable pursuit or tracking of the overspeeding vehicle.
“…it’s a system that would automate a capability that law enforcement already have in use today, except this would utilize the built-in system and sensors in the vehicle,” Ford told Benzinga in a statement.
“This patent does not state that driving data from customers’ vehicles would be shared with law enforcement.”
Why It Matters: According to data from the U.S. auto safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding was a contributing factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2022. This resulted in 12,151 people dying, and an estimated 300,595 being injured in speeding-related crashes throughout the year.
Ford is among the biggest automakers in the U.S. The company sold 536,050 vehicles in total in the second quarter while its rival General Motors sold 696,086 units.
The patent filed by Ford to monitor overspeeding, however, might not be deployed on its large fleet. Patents aren’t necessarily indicative of a new business, product, or feature.
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