Ford cars could 'snitch' on other drivers for speeding

When encountering bad drivers on the road, as motorists, we often wish police were around to catch the perpetrators in the act.

In the US, work is afoot to have cars “squealing” on other motorists for speeding. Ford is working on a patent that would have cameras in its cars that nab other road users for exceeding the speed limit and automatically reporting them to the police. It would turn drivers into unwitting snitches.

The carmaker has applied for a patent in the US titled “Systems and Methods for Detecting Speeding Violations” in which cars could be used to monitor each other's speeds, according to a report in Motor Authority.

If a car detects that a nearby vehicle is being driven above the speed limit, it could use on-board cameras to photograph the vehicle. A report containing data and images of the speeding vehicle could be sent to a police car via an internet connection, according to Ford.

Using vehicles for speed surveillance would make the jobs of police easier, Ford notes in the application. The technology could also be used in self-driving cars, the carmaker added.

Motor Authority said Ford has also tried to patent a “night drive mode” that would limit vehicle speeds at night for everyone.

Car manufacturers often file patent applications for new technology that does not make it to production.