New Ford cars can drive ‘by themselves’ to a showroom, run out of air conditioning, make an annoying noise that is impossible to turn off or even lock the doors if the owner fails to pay a down payment. The US car company is trying to license a technology patent that allows it to control the car remotely if it does not receive installment payments on time.
According to the American newspaper The New York Post, in addition to the aforementioned methods, the company may be able to turn off the automatic window system and the cruise control functionality. If the owner of the car still does not pay the installment, Ford vehicles with semi-automatic or automatic driving functionality can drive ‘by themselves’ to a brand dealership.
This technology would be used in the event that drivers ignore “vehicle-related late payment notices” that are sent to mobile phones or the car’s computer systems.
Ford registered the patent for “Vehicle Replacement Systems and Methods” in August 2021, but it still lacks final authorization.
When asked about the matter, company spokesman Wes Sherwood said they had “no plans” to implement this technology and that it was just “one of many patent applications” the company files regularly.
