Ford applies for patent for missing body parts detection system

According to foreign media reports, Ford has applied for a new patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office, which can detect the specific time when a vehicle loses body parts. Recently, Ford has made a lot of moves in patent applications, including patents for vehicle rescue detection and mitigation system, wet seat detection and mitigation system, and vehicle reverse detection system.

Image source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

The patent application outlines how the missing body part detection system works, starting with a sensor array that collects radar, weather, collision, aerodynamic drag, sensor fusion, and radar range data. Then there's a computer that collects and uses that data to determine if a body part is missing. If it is, the computer warns the driver, adjusts the sensor calibration, and changes the vehicle's operation accordingly to compensate.

Image source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

While the patent may seem a bit odd, it could provide an important function for modern vehicles that are loaded with sensors. If a vehicle loses a sensor-equipped part, features like adaptive cruise control could stop working or not function properly, potentially leading to an accident.

Therefore, the patent attempts to avoid such problems by adjusting the way the vehicle operates after a collision. As Ford and many other automakers continue to develop autonomous driving technology and add more and more driver assistance features to new cars, the patent technology is very meaningful.