Ford wants to make sure our four-legged friends feel as comfortable in its cars as humans. It has patented a function it calls “Pet Mode”, which, if brought to market, would allow users of compatible cars to access a number of user-friendly smart features. with animals at the push of a button.
Discovered by forum Lightning Ownerpatent filed by Ford Global Technologies in October 2018 and published in February 2022. It describes a relatively simple technology: push a button on the key to keep the cabin temperature under control by lowering one or more windows, opening the sunroof, or both. It can also turn on and adjust the climate control system if opening the windows isn’t enough. Don’t worry about your furry friend escaping while you’re making coffee: pet mode turns off window switches and door handles.
Ford seems to take your dog’s comfort very seriously. Some other key fob-based features described in the patent application are the ability to remotely open the doors so you can get in and out of the vehicle and the function of folding one or more seats for more space. Owners can even choose what music they want the radio to play when Pet Mode is activated. It is not unreasonable to assume that a smartphone app or a menu in the infotainment system will be linked to Pet Mode to allow owners to decide which windows should be opened, especially especially since Ford notes that this function can easily be activated with devices such as smartphones or smartwatches.
An in-car fountain could be nearby, as the patent indicates a “hydration system” that could ensure fresh and cool water for pets at all times. And, another interesting detail is that Pet Mode can theoretically turn itself off if needed if it detects that a pet is no longer in the vehicle. This will likely require a large amount of testing to make sure it doesn’t miss the chihuahua.
Ford hasn’t commented on the patent filing, and it hasn’t announced plans to bring Pet Mode into production either, so we don’t know what the future holds for the technology. Remember that filing a patent application never guarantees that the feature it describes will appear on your next car. Still, it’s a great idea, and one of those things – unlike many patents – would be useful in real nationwide conditions. Tesla notably offers a similar system called Dog mode. Launched in 2019, shortly after Ford filed the Pet Mode patent, it essentially kept the climate control system active while the vehicle was off.
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