Ford wants to make cars that impound themselves if you miss payments

[JustinCharge 2,397]

I can only imagine the corruption of this.  Governments could just kidnap you if they felt like it.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/ford-wants-to-allow-your-car-to-lock-you-out-and-even-drive-itself-to-an-impound-lot-or-scrapyard-if-you-miss-payments/ar-AA183HvS

Ford wants to allow your car to lock you out — and even drive itself to an impound lot or scrapyard — if you miss payments

Story by sjackson@insider.com (Sarah Jackson)

Ford wants to patent a system that would let cars repossess themselves if drivers miss payments.

At first, the cars would lose the use of features like GPS, air conditioning, and the radio.

If the owner still skips payments, the car could lock them out and drive itself to a repo agency or even a scrapyard.

Ford's latest patent application shows a bizarre new way that cars could be repossessed in the future if their owners don't make payments on time.

The patent application, first reported by The Drive, was filed in August 2021 but wasn't published until last week. It shows that Ford is interested in building a system that would allow a car to lock out its driver and even repossess itself, if its driver doesn't keep up with payments.

Ford says it's imagining the system as a solution to the issue of owners behind on payments being "uncooperative" and attempting to "impede the repossession operation."

In the patent application, Ford describes the use of a "repossession system computer" that can facilitate the process, which starts out with some minor annoyances that would cause "discomfort" to the vehicle owner. If a driver ignores warnings about their missing payments, the process would begin with the computer disabling functionality of features like cruise control, GPS, air conditioning, and the radio. The computer could also prompt the car to start emitting an "incessant and unpleasant sound" whenever the driver is there.

If the owner still doesn't act on the missing payments warning, the computer will really raise the stakes. The car may lock its owner out, with some caveats. In one example scenario, the patent application said the computer might prompt a lockout during the weekends only so as not to affect the owner's ability to work during the weekdays to earn money to "make payments towards the vehicle."

Alternatively, the car might define a "geofence" around the driver's home, and the person would only be able to use the car within those parameters; in some cases, the owner's driving could be further limited to certain days or even certain times of day, according to the filing.

If the owner is still behind on payments at this point, the car may take some pretty drastic action. It may autonomously drive itself to a spot "convenient for a tow truck to tow the vehicle." It could also drive itself to a repossession agency, lending institution, or impound lot. In yet another case, the repossession system computer may communicate with the computer of the lending institution to identify the car's market value. If it would cost more to repossess the car than the car is worth, the vehicle could even drive itself to a scrapyard.

[BeenHereBefore 1,373]

We are headed for Minority Report the movie for RL.

[Voltaire 4,782]

Real forward thinkers they have there at Ford, meeting this key customer demand niche.

This feature will be in high demand, we'll all be willing to pay extra for it.

[TBayXXXVII 2,302]

Looks like Ford doesn't want certain people to buy their vehicles.

[BeenHereBefore 1,373]

7 minutes ago, TBayXXXVII said:

Looks like Ford doesn't want certain people to buy their vehicles.

And who would they be ?

[supermike80 1,464]

I don't see it driving itself to a repo yard anytime soon.  But I'm 100% ok with it shutting down.  No different than say Netflix. You don't pay, you lose access to the product

[Gepetto 1,125]

Eventually there are going to be so many new laws (and/or controls) created in this country that the citizens will be unhappy and revolt and destroy everything and we can then start all over.  

[JustinCharge 2,397]

19 minutes ago, Gepetto said:

Eventually there are going to be so many new laws (and/or controls) created in this country that the citizens will be unhappy and revolt and destroy everything and we can then start all over.  

or there is the china outcome. mao went across the country kiling 80 million people, including everyone who believed in free markets and the few who survived fled to taiwan.

[Voltaire 4,782]

I'm too retarded to figure out how to hack the system, but some malicious teenager will have lots of fun being a$$holes.

[TBayXXXVII 2,302]

4 hours ago, BeenHereBefore said:

And who would they be ?

My guess is people with lower incomes who've historically missed car payments.

[BeenHereBefore 1,373]

10 minutes ago, TBayXXXVII said:

My guess is people with lower incomes who've historically missed car payments.

Oh thought you meant they was targeting a race.

[jerryskids 5,778]

I have gone through the patent application process multiple times, so a few comments.  One, just because you apply for a patent doesn't mean you intend to use it.  Tech companies patent things all the time that they don't imminently plan to use, or even don't know how they could use it.  They just know it is new and might be valuable later.

Two, the use models described here (e.g., a car impounding itself) is not typically what is patented; those are called "preferred embodiments," or basically "an example of how this technology would be used is..."  What is patented is the underlying technology (invention) that allows the preferred embodiment to be accomplished.  In other words, the preferred embodiment tells the patent office "here's why this new stuff might be useful".

[Mookz 1,301]

In former Soviet bloc Russia, car impounds you. 

[TBayXXXVII 2,302]

10 hours ago, BeenHereBefore said:

Oh thought you meant they was targeting a race.

What does that have to do with cars? 

[League Champion 1,655]

Cars that impound themselves?

The Liberals would meltdown like week old ice cream. Can you imagine them leaving in the morning for their Art class just to find their electric car was impounded? That would be a disaster. 

[Cloaca du jour 2,115]

Fords blow...almost as bad as chrysler.  

[Cloaca du jour 2,115]

10 hours ago, BeenHereBefore said:

Oh thought you meant they was targeting a race.

That would be Cadillac...ahem

[League Champion 1,655]

10 minutes ago, Cloaca du jour said:

That would be Cadillac...ahem

Blacks like Chrysler 300s. Someone told me that 

[MLCKAA 464]

The geofence is what should concern people