Future Fords might detect speeding and report you to the cops

Ford patented tech that would have a vehicle report a driver for speeding. The patent said vehicles would monitor other vehicles using onboard cameras. It's unclear what legal argument Ford would make for the tech if implemented.

A patent application (US-20240239352-A1) from the automaker titled "Systems and Methods for Detecting Speeding Violations" was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Jul. 18 2024, and was originally filed by Ford Jan. 12, 2023.

In the application, Ford discusses using cars to monitor each other's speeds. If one car detects that a nearby vehicle is being driven above the posted limit, it could use onboard cameras to photograph that vehicle. A report containing both speed data and images of the targeted vehicle could then be sent directly to a police car or roadside monitoring units via an Internet connection, according to Ford.

Using vehicles for speed surveillance would make cops' jobs easier, as they wouldn't have to quickly identify speeding violations and take off in pursuit, Ford notes in the application. It also means some of that work could be delegated to self-driving cars, which could be equipped to detect speeding violations, the automaker adds.

Meanwhile in other news: Ford saw a $1.1 billion loss in its EV business, dragging Q2 profit well below Wall Street forecast.

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