Ford’s self-repossessing car patent is a nightmare of the connected-car future
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The electric and digital transformation of the car industry comes with a lot of promises for a better tomorrow. Electric vehicles could dramatically reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector; connected cars will give us access to services and features we don't currently enjoy; over-the-air software updates could eliminate high repair costs; and automated vehicles may make driving significantly safer.
But it's worth remembering that, at the end of the day, car companies are just out to make a buck, not make the world a better place.
This week, it was revealed that Ford applied for a patent on a system that would use connected car technology to better aid in vehicle repossession. News of the patent's publication was first r...