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Ford Patents An Autonomous Police Interceptor That Can Take Action

By Neeraj Padmakumar

COLMA, CA - APRIL 28: Flags with the Ford logo are posted in front of Serramonte Ford on April 28, 2015 in Colma, California. Ford Motor Co. reported a 6.6 percent drop in first quarter earnings with net income of $924 million, or 23 cents a share, compared to $989 million, or 24 cents, one year ago. A higer than expecte tax rate and factory retooling to accomodate the new aluminum-bodied F-150 pickup contributed to the quarterly decline. The F-Series pickups accounts for 90 percent of Ford's global automotive profits. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
COLMA, CA - APRIL 28: Flags with the Ford logo are posted in front of Serramonte Ford on April 28, 2015 in Colma, California. Ford Motor Co. reported a 6.6 percent drop in first quarter earnings with net income of $924 million, or 23 cents a share, compared to $989 million, or 24 cents, one year ago. A higer than expecte tax rate and factory retooling to accomodate the new aluminum-bodied F-150 pickup contributed to the quarterly decline. The F-Series pickups accounts for 90 percent of Ford's global automotive profits. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) /
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The renown American automaker, Ford, seems to be serious about making an autonomous cop car for carrying out the policing chores of the future.

A cop car without a cop. The idea itself sounds very strange. But we have just come across information that says Ford is filing a patent for one. The folks over at Motor1 have actually just spotted it for the first time last week.

The patent, according to Motor1, describes an autonomous cop car, capable of doing the ‘routine’ duties of a ‘regular cop’, with the most significant one being speed busting. The car is reported to flaunt the ability to detect  ny possible regulation-breach by other vehicles, either on its own or through a healthy, rapid collaboration with stationary surveillance cameras and/or road-side sensors.

Ford is reportedly in the midst of developing a novel artificial intelligence tech for the car. This technology would enable it to operate the on-board speed detection equipment, cameras, and communicate with other devices in the area such as stationary speed cameras.

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So what would happen if you dare to break the speed regulations with one of these in charge? Well, it could all begin with the car communicating with a local speed camera or sensor for evidence, and anything from issuing a warning or a speed ticket to a full fledged pursuit of the speeding vehicle could follow, depending  on the requirements.

If all of these scenarios have freaked you out already, you better not read any further! Well, if you insist, let me just tell you that the car can wirelessly connect with the speeding car, and make it communicate with the passenger, thereby verifying his identity and thus issuing a lucid citation.

"“The method may further involve the processor remotely executing one or more actions with respect to the first vehicle,” says the patent."

With the cop car having an image of your driver’s license, let me tell you people, there’s absolutely no chance of you missing the ticket that you deserve, ever again.

The car, a rear-engined hatchback with five-spoke wheels, as seen in the carmaker’s rough sketches that are out, has a purpose described by its makers as “in lieu of or in addition to human police officers”, which essentially means that there could also be an officer on-board, if needed!

Road Show is welcoming of such idea:

"“There’s also the matter of automated ticketing. Red-light cameras and speed cameras have come under fire in recent years for doing police work without a police officer present. While it’s true that cops can’t be everywhere all of the time, and thus crimes will slip through the cracks, these cases show that the public is already wary of automated policing before super-AIs and self-driving cars were even part of the discussion (and they still aren’t, really).”"

All you speed geeks out there, don’t be disheartened yet, there is still some faint ray of hope left as not every patent out there turns into a future technology.

Next: Upcoming North American Auto Show Schedule For February 2018

Let us know what you think of the patent and future technology below. We’d love to hear your thoughts!

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