Ford cars could report drivers to police for speeding - according to new patent

• Ford files patent for speeding detection system. 
• Vehicles could take pictures of speeders if it detects a vehicle going over the limit. 
• They could then send reports directly to police with GPS data. 

Ford cars could soon be able to report other drivers on the road for breaking the speed limit, at least according to a new patent. The camera system would be able to monitor fellow vehicles and snap a picture of any speeding offences, sending them to the police. 

The manufacturing giant initially filed a patent application titled “Systems and Methods for Detecting Speeding Violations” in January last year. It was published online by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on 18 July, according to WXIN. 

The station reports that in the application, Ford discusses using vehicles to monitor the speed of fellow road users. Companies regularly file patents but it doesn’t mean that the invention will become a mainstay product. 

How could the system work? 

WIXN reports that equipped Ford cars would be able to automatically detect if another vehicle is travelling over the speed limit and then use onboard cameras to snap pictures of the speeder. The car would then be able to send a report containing both speed data and pictures to law enforcement agencies. 

It has also been reported that the Ford vehicles would be able to send GPS location data. And the company claims it will make police’s jobs easier by identifying speeding incidents for them. 

However it remains unclear how effective these reports would be in practice. It remains to be seen if law enforcement agencies would be able to prosecute speeding incidents that they had not directly witnessed, through their own cameras or otherwise. 

What is the likelihood of the system being used? 

WIXN notes in its report that Ford often files patents for emerging auto technologies, but not all of these inventions make it into mass production. It has also been reported that the system could be implemented in Ford-made police vehicles - such as motorbikes. 

Would you purchase a car if it came with speed detecting technology? Share your opinions in the comments below.