A Ford patent would start disabling car functions if an owner misses payments and could eventually even drive it away to be repossessed.

… a Ford patent application titled “Systems and Methods to Repossess a Vehicle” was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Feb. 23, although it was submitted to the agency Aug. 20, 2021.

The document describes using vehicles’ built-in data connections to remotely disable “a functionality of one or more components of the vehicle,” which would serve as warnings if the owner has missed car payments.

  • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.netEnglish
    0·
    4 months ago

    It shouldn’t be but if this makes it harder for other companies to do this, it would be kinda funny lol

    • queerlilhayseed@piefed.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      That would be funny, but realistically this just determines who makes money from licensing the design to everyone else. Assuming the patent isn’t successfully challenged.