Toronto, Ontario — Ford has announced a patent application for a camera system that would report vehicles to the police if they were driving above the speed limit.
The patent—which was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in January and published on July 18, 2024—specifically highlights that “traffic police officers typically face various types of challenges when dealing with speeding violations. These challenges include the need to quickly and accurately identify a speeding vehicle and take appropriate action. It is desirable to provide systems and procedures to assist traffic police officers and/or other law enforcement officials in carrying out such tasks.”
The patent further details a scenario in which vehicles could be fitted with a camera system that would allow them to monitor each other’s speeds.
As a result, if a driver were to see another vehicle breaking the speed limit, the system could photograph the vehicle and send this information directly to the police.
Notably, the patent explains that “the image may be evaluated for determining at least one identifying feature of the second vehicle. The record can include the speed measurement, the image and the first identifying feature. In some cases, the record may be transmitted to another law-enforcement vehicle for pursuing the second vehicle and/or an Internet-of-Things (IoT) road-side unit for tracking the second vehicle.”
While the patent does not further clarify exactly how the system would work or when it would be allowed to be implemented, consumers on social media and the internet have already raised concerns about the legality of the proposed system.
In response to these concerns, a Ford spokesperson originally told Motor Authority that “the patent explicitly states this idea is specific for applications in law enforcement vehicles, such as the Ford Police Interceptor, and it’s a system that would automate a capability that law enforcement already gave in use today, except this would utilize the built-in system and sensors in the vehicle.”
To see the full patent, click here.
