Whether you’re tearing around a racetrack at wide-open throttle or tackling your favorite trail at just 2 mph, driving technique is arguably the most important factor in setting lap records and safely getting to the top of the mountain… and home again. Hardware can also be mission-critical, but sticky tires and huge brakes, low-range gearing, and locking differentials can only take you so far if you don’t know how to drive. Giving customers another tool in their kit, Ford has received a new patent for an intriguing feature that could really help drivers while they’re off the beaten path.
One-Wheel Dig Mode
Ford Global Technologies LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, has been granted a U.S. patent (No. 12,377,832) for a new feature that allows a vehicle to dig holes. Yes, dig holes like you’d do with a shovel, spade, or excavator.
This system works by applying the brakes to three wheels and allowing the fourth to spin freely, which can then send the dirt – plus any stones and plant roots – flying. Not surprisingly, this special mode needs to be activated by the driver before it can be used, because you don’t want this engaging while doing 75 mph on the highway. This system is also smart enough to detect when a hole is finished being excavated and “cease application of rotational power to the one wheel of the vehicle.”
This system would be used in conventional, combustion-powered vehicles, but it sounds like the technology could also be applied to electric models. Enabling this, the feature taps into a vehicle’s computer processors and memory, as well as its suspension sensors, drivetrain activators, vehicle position sensors, and more.
OK, So What Is This Good For?
OK, that’s all well and good, but what is this amenity actually useful for? Why would you want to dig a hole by spinning your vehicle’s wheel? Well, according to the patent documentation, “As one example, the hole may be used as an anchoring point for a fulcrum, a come-along, etc., to aid in [the] recovery of another vehicle that is stuck.” In this instance, the freshly dug hole can be used as an anchoring point for using a winch.
Beyond that, the patent document suggests that holes could be dug for use while camping or at job sites, though this seems a bit unusual. Also, there are concerns about tire life. Using a spinning wheel as an excavator will inevitably cause damage to the rubber and likely significantly shorten the lifespan of the tire.
Can You Dig It?
Ford says this feature could be installed in a wide range of different vehicles, from passenger sedans to commercial vehicles, crossovers, minivans, taxis, and even buses, but how useful this would be on an eTransit or Mustang convertible is at best dubious.
Naturally, a one-wheel dig mode makes the most sense in vehicles like the Bronco off-road-focused SUV, and models like the F-150 full-size truck, particularly rough-and-ready trims like the Tremor and Raptor.
Other automakers have developed unique off-road features, notably Rivian and Mercedes-Benz with their four-wheel “tank turn” feature (G-Turn in Mercedes-Benz parlance) that allows a vehicle to rotate in a circle within its own length, and, of course, the GMC Hummer EVs offer Crabwalk functionality that allows you to drive diagonally at low speeds. If future Fords are able to dig their own holes, it could give the automaker a leg up over rival manufacturers.
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