Parked cars may soon have the capability to move on their own without driver supervision to avoid collisions. This is after the tech patented by Ford, which is called the System for Detecting Moving Objects.
The said tech with United States patent number US-12617393-B2 enables parked vehicles to move on their own to avoid possible collisions. This is made possible through a system or sensor that is designed to detect moving objects around a parked vehicle. It can then automatically maneuver the parked vehicle to evade the risk of impact. It’s as if the parked car comes with a 24/7 security monitor.
The patent was filed in December 2023, and it was published recently on May 5, 2026. The listed inventors on the patent documents are the following individuals: Smruti Ranjan Panigrahi, Erol Dogan Sumer, and Ehsan Arabi. The technology uses sensors that are integrated around the vehicle to monitor the parked car’s surroundings. It then has the ability to detect and identify the location and direction of moving objects within the vicinity or the surroundings of the parked vehicle.
As such, the said tect could be handy whenever your car is parked while you buy groceries at the likes of S&R and Landers, as it can detect shopping carts that are on the loose. The patent documents also show that the tech can identify other vehicles or objects that are in the trajectory or direction toward the car.
Once a moving object is detected, the system calculates the possible threat level and proceeds with the most necessary action needed. Of note, the patented tech has different threat levels, including idle, aware, warning, and evade.
The “idle” level includes no probability of impact, while the “aware” level includes a low probability of impact (less than 10 percent probability). Meanwhile, the “warning” level includes a moderate probability of impact (between 10 and 90 percent), and the “evade” level, which includes a high probability of impact (greater than 90 percent) between the stationary vehicle and a moving object.
Before moving the parked car, the system first warns nearby people or drivers by flashing the lights or sounding the horn. In the event that there is not enough space to safely evade the collision, the system could instead activate the cameras and sensors to record the incident, which can then be used as evidence for police reports, investigations, and insurance claims.
Autocar’s Take
Ford’s patented System for Detecting Moving Objects could be a useful tech should it find its way into production models. This tech allows a park and unoccupied vehicle to have a human-like instinct as it can evade possible collisions, thereby protecting itself even when the driver or vehicle owner is not behind the steering wheel.
As with many patents, there is still no guarantee that the said tech will enter production. But it is a nice safety feature, as it gives your car extra protection when it is parked and unoccupied. It can also activate the cameras and sensors to record the incident, which could then be used as evidence for police reports and insurance claims.
