Automatic repo

Author
Discussion

NMNeil

Original Poster:

5,860 posts

51 months

Tuesday 21st March 2023
quotequote all
Imagine falling behind on your car payments and your autonomous car just drives away one night. Ford is toying with the idea of doing just that.
They do intend to give the owner fair warning though.

"There would be several warnings from the vehicle before the system initiated a formal repossession. If these warnings were ignored, the car could begin to lose functionality ahead of a repo. The first lost functions would be minor inconveniences like cruise control, automated window controls, automated seat controls, and some components of the infotainment system (radio, global positioning system (GPS), MP3 player, etc.) The next level is more serious, and includes the loss of things like the air conditioning system, a remote key fob, and an automated door lock/unlock system" Likewise, an incessant and unpleasant sound may be turned on every time the owner is present in the vehicle.
If all of that is endured by the car's owner and payment still has not been received, they could get locked out of their car."
https://www.thedrive.com/news/future-fords-could-r...

KungFuPanda

4,334 posts

171 months

Tuesday 21st March 2023
quotequote all
What do people expect to happen if they fall behind with their payments? Nothing?

SteveR1979

599 posts

142 months

Tuesday 21st March 2023
quotequote all
NMNeil said:
Imagine falling behind on your car payments and your autonomous car just drives away one night. Ford is toying with the idea of doing just that.
They do intend to give the owner fair warning though.

"There would be several warnings from the vehicle before the system initiated a formal repossession. If these warnings were ignored, the car could begin to lose functionality ahead of a repo. The first lost functions would be minor inconveniences like cruise control, automated window controls, automated seat controls, and some components of the infotainment system (radio, global positioning system (GPS), MP3 player, etc.) The next level is more serious, and includes the loss of things like the air conditioning system, a remote key fob, and an automated door lock/unlock system" Likewise, an incessant and unpleasant sound may be turned on every time the owner is present in the vehicle.
If all of that is endured by the car's owner and payment still has not been received, they could get locked out of their car."
https://www.thedrive.com/news/future-fords-could-r...
Sounds good to me.


IntriguedUser

989 posts

122 months

Tuesday 21st March 2023
quotequote all
I'm all for it. But how will it be legal? Losing automated seating functions? Surely it's dangerous for the driver to be in bad position, too close or too far from pedals etc

georgeyboy12345

3,529 posts

36 months

Tuesday 21st March 2023
quotequote all
It’d be funny if it just drove itself to the impound

Sebring440

2,024 posts

97 months

Tuesday 21st March 2023
quotequote all
georgeyboy12345 said:
It’d be funny if it just drove itself to the impound
Be even funnier if it drove itself to the compound!


Bungleaio

6,337 posts

203 months

Tuesday 21st March 2023
quotequote all
IntriguedUser said:
I'm all for it. But how will it be legal? Losing automated seating functions? Surely it's dangerous for the driver to be in bad position, too close or too far from pedals etc
Probably comfort access type stuff or memory functions rather than being able to move it manually I would have thought.

vikingaero

10,395 posts

170 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
So this is America Ford. I don't think they realise how many desperate Americans will just put up with the poor seating, no radio, no central locking, loud noise over the speakers, just to be mobile.

America already has a large sub-prime automobile finance industry where trackers and engine start modules are fitted to cars. And where there are restrictions, there are people who can offer to disable all these functions.

Dog Star

16,145 posts

169 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
vikingaero said:
So this is America Ford. I don't think they realise how many desperate Americans will just put up with the poor seating, no radio, no central locking, loud noise over the speakers, just to be mobile.

America already has a large sub-prime automobile finance industry where trackers and engine start modules are fitted to cars. And where there are restrictions, there are people who can offer to disable all these functions.
You only need to look at “Just Rolled In” on YouTube to see what they’re driving round in. Thank god we have an MOT.

Teddy Lop

8,301 posts

68 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
NMNeil said:
Imagine falling behind on your car payments and your autonomous car just drives away one night. Ford is toying with the idea of doing just that.
They do intend to give the owner fair warning though.

"There would be several warnings from the vehicle before the system initiated a formal repossession. If these warnings were ignored, the car could begin to lose functionality ahead of a repo. The first lost functions would be minor inconveniences like cruise control, automated window controls, automated seat controls, and some components of the infotainment system (radio, global positioning system (GPS), MP3 player, etc.) The next level is more serious, and includes the loss of things like the air conditioning system, a remote key fob, and an automated door lock/unlock system" Likewise, an incessant and unpleasant sound may be turned on every time the owner is present in the vehicle.
If all of that is endured by the car's owner and payment still has not been received, they could get locked out of their car."
https://www.thedrive.com/news/future-fords-could-r...
If they're gonna sabotage that they'll have to make them work properly in the first place, else how will anyone tell?

grumpynuts

957 posts

161 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
Sub prime finance companies already have the capability to shut down cars, they fit a box of tricks and if the customer defaults on payments they can render the car inoperable.Sounds like a good idea to me.

jeremyh1

1,362 posts

128 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
If you cant afford the payments buy a car you can afford
There is plenty of advice on here of to run an old payed for car

CG2020UK

1,532 posts

41 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
Ford really have lost their way.

They’d be better try to resolve the whole ecoboom issue fairly.