Ford files patent for "snitching"...?

[Lobstah]

Anyone else see any mention of this in the press?

Snitching Patent

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[bbhaag]

Steve Lehto is an automotive lawyer who has a YT channel and he talked about it the other day. He did not like the idea of this even if Ford claims it's only for law enforcement use.

 

[zach57x]

Reminder to pull your TCM fuse as well as disconnect the module

 

[The Real Maverick]

I pulled my telecomm fuse just because it was draining my 12v battery overnight.

My 12v battery now has a more consistent charge/voltage.

 

[NeedForSteve]

Reminder to pull your TCM fuse as well as disconnect the module

friendly reminder; TCM is Transmission Control Module. The Telematics module is the TCU.

I can just see how that could trip up some folk’s DIY jobs lol

 

[zach57x]

friendly reminder; TCM is Transmission Control Module. The Telematics module is the TCU.

I can just see how that could trip up some folk’s DIY jobs lol

Good catch. That gave me my laugh of the day

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Steve Lehto is an automotive lawyer who has a YT channel and he talked about it the other day. He did not like the idea of this even if Ford claims it's only for law enforcement use.

I started following Steve Lento when he wrote for Jalopnik.

 

[ndmiller]

In some jurisdictions camera tickets and this sort of nonsense won't fly unless ticket receiver acquiesces. For example when I lived in TX I got a red light camera ticket and a friend was ticketed for moving near a stopped school bus. In both cases we were definitely wrong (I blew it and they left after doors closed with bus lights still on), but no peace officer was involved.

Because we had the right to face our accusers in court (impossible with camera tickets), the third party issuer (Not law enforcement) has ZERO power to enforce. These third party companies work on the premise a portion of the public will pay and revenue share with the municipality contracting them to provide this service (cameras, software, tickets). In this case not paying comes with no ramifications as the issuing authority has no authority to issue a traffic citation with force of law. Having said that most people pay and 3rd party & municipalities get money from these schemes anyway.

 

[Lobstah]

I pulled my telecomm fuse just because it was draining my 12v battery overnight.

My 12v battery now has a more consistent charge/voltage.

Seems like there would have to be a whole lotta telecomin' going on to drain a batt overnight?

 

[Mr Pibb]

Seems like there would have to be a whole lotta telecomin' going on to drain a batt overnight?

There was an update they had to push out because the truck was calling home way to often.

 

[Scott Asheville]

The sooner a car that detects dangerous driving automatically pulls to the side of the road, disables itself, notifies the police, the DMV and your insurance company - the better for us all.

 

[Mudder Trucker]

Anyone else see any mention of this in the press?

Snitching Patent

If they do that I will sell everything I own Ford and never buy again. That is overstepping.

 

[Montana]

The sooner a car that detects dangerous driving automatically pulls to the side of the road, disables itself, notifies the police, the DMV and your insurance company - the better for us all.

No.

If they do that I will sell everything I own Ford and never buy again. That is overstepping.

Yes.

I'm already not happy about my vehicle constantly communicating with these companies.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

UPDATE 7/31/2024 @ 3:30p ET: After publication, Ford reached out with a statement to clarify that the idea “is specific for application in law enforcement vehicles, such as the Ford Police Interceptor, and it’s a system that would automate a capability that law enforcement already have in use today, except this would utilize the built-in system and sensors in the vehicle. This patent does not state that driving data from customers’ vehicles would be shared with law enforcement, which is what some media have incorrectly reported. And note, patent applications are intended to protect new ideas but aren’t necessarily an indication of new business or product plans.”

Ford also filed a patent for a self repossessing vehicle. They allowed that patent to expire.
Just because a patent is filed, does not mean that it's going to into production. Filing a patent protects their idea.

 

[Aherpa]

Not to worry, it will only turn in Chevy drivers for now. . . soon to be expanded to other, non-Ford owned, manufacturers.

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