A Ford Patent Application Could Allow Vehicles to Lockout Owners Who Are Delinquent with Their Car Payments

Peter_Brosdahl

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Multiple methods including but limited to, sending the owner messages via the vehicle onboard computer about their delinquent status and potential repossession process, to alerts about the vehicle being locked down could happen. Another idea being tossed around is to just lock the vehicle down on weekends so that an owner (who might be lucky enough to have a Monday-Friday job) would not have their employment jeopardized. Other options on the table include limiting the vehicle's range or having it make various sounds, horn beeping, chimes, etc., to annoy the vehicle owner or locking various functions like power windows, radio, air conditioning, etc, via tier levels. Ford is also looking at ways for controlling autonomous vehicles via the same technology to park them or have them go to a location for repossession via control from a tow truck. It could even access a vehicle's cameras to identify potential challenges (garage, fencing) to repossess the vehicle and advise involved parties of their options in getting the vehicle.

See full article...
 
A friend of mine had his car repo'd a few years ago. I guess now it'll just be easier to remotely lock the drivers out of their vehicles. Don't have to send someone to fetch the vehicle, and don't have to physically store it somewhere. Just render it unusable.

Peter_Brosdahl said:
Another idea being tossed around is to just lock the vehicle down on weekends so that an owner (who might be lucky enough to have a Monday-Friday job) would not have their employment jeopardized.
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Okaaaaaaaaaay, naw, no one should get to tell you how and when you can use your vehicles (aside from the basic state/federal laws of driving on public roads).

Peter_Brosdahl said:
locking various functions like power windows, radio, air conditioning, etc, via tier levels.
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Geeezus, expanding out from how some manufacturers like BMW make you pay a subscription fee or whatever for heated seats. Ugh, the automotive industry has been headed nowhere good for many years now. I still refuse to use a drive-by-wire vehicle.

Ford should stop f*cking around with this nonsense and concentrate more on improving the reliability, durability, and longevity of their products. You know, the exact opposite of things they are known for. I have a family history with Ford vehicles, and it is a history I can not wait to get away from. My popz used to work in their factories in his youth, before he got drafted for Vietnam. I think Ford musta brainwashed all the factory workers.
 
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Yes sorry I wouldn't want a car with any kind of automated check in like that. Features like this make me not want an autonomous driving car.
 
Surprise, almost every modern car - they can already do this.
 
Bummer. I mean, sure, pay your bills. But still kind of a d!ck move to lock someone out of their car.

I have known people in bad financial situations that have defaulted on car loans.... Yeah, one of them was an a$$hat who was trying to game the system. But the others were truly in financial distress and if it comes down to rent/food/electricity over car payment, choices were made. And if this capability had been around back then, they would have been totally screwed with no way to get to work. Not all places have good public transportation.
 
This is just an extension of existing technology for an application that should be obvious to most any layperson, which seems to describe the majority of patents issued. Imagine if patents were awarded for "inventions" that were actually novel and non-obvious.
 
Peter_Brosdahl said:
Other options on the table include limiting the vehicle's range or having it make various sounds, horn beeping, chimes, etc., to annoy the vehicle owner or locking various functions like power windows, radio, air conditioning, etc, via tier levels.
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The article did mention repossession, but that sounds like a car that has been possessed. ?

Annoying the owner in that way could increase the risk of traffic accidents, especially when they're already likely to be stressed out from their financial situation — the very reason they were unable to make timely payments on their car.
 
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Yeah, this move goes into all kinds of murky waters and I expect all the manufacturers to be pursuing their own versions soon just as I expect various legal battles to ensue after issues arise from numerous circumstances, safety and potential liability factors being at the top.
 
Perso
Peter_Brosdahl said:
Yeah, this move goes into all kinds of murky waters and I expect all the manufacturers to be pursuing their own versions soon just as I expect various legal battles to ensue after issues arise from numerous circumstances, safety and potential liability factors being at the top.
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Personally I salivate for all cars linked to one of these services to be remotely disabled for EVERYONE ALL AT ONCE. That would literally do more financial dmaged to the world than 9/11. And be less risk for the purpotrators.

Hackers will have a field datly with this and it will be a matter of weeks before people figure out how to disable all of this.

Smart money is make it an 'optional' service on cars purchased for a lower interst rate on the loan that includes some personal security options. Then people will opt into it to save a few bucks and feel like they are winning.
 
You wouldn't believe the amount of people we deal with on a monthly basis that are delinquent on their payments and don't say anything until we go to check their credit. It's the most frustrating part of my job to be honest. Though it could seem intrusive (what technology really isn't nowadays) I wouldn't mind this "weeding" out the people who fall behind on their payments. I know there are different circumstances to every person, but most just don't seem to care. I've wasted many hours showing a new car and going through the process only to find out after the fact that these people can't do anything.
Sorry for the mini rant.
 
Yeah, there are good people who end up in bad situations and then there are others who are simply out to work any system they can and don't care about the repercussions that could end up affecting everyone. On one hand, I'm against anyone being able to control something I own but on the other, I understand their need to protect their stake until it's paid off. I hope a middle ground can be found that helps both sides.
 
They're had the capability to do this for over 10 years now. At least on CDJR vehicles with uConnect. I can lock, unlock and remotely start my vehicles from my phone. If I can do that from my phone they have the ability to lock out those functions completely.
 
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