Ford is no longer pursuing a patent for a technology that would permit the remote shutdown of air conditioning, radio, cruise control and other systems for safety concerns or nonpayment of car loans.
“We are no longer pursuing this patent application or this idea,” said a spokesperson from Ford's communications team.
The technology in question would have enabled remote control of any upcoming model connected to the internet to move a car for tow pickup or self-drive it to a junkyard in the case of an autonomous vehicle, according to an earlier article in The Drive.
The patent filing suggested future technology updates could make the vehicle produce a continuous and unpleasant noise until the owner took action to address the issue, according to an Automotive News article.
Ford originally applied for the patent in August 2021 in an application titled, “Systems and Methods to Repossess a Vehicle.” The automaker formally published its application in February and was granted the patent this summer.
