Ford wants to hide radar units into its badges [Video]

• Future Fords might put radar units inside the Blue Oval badges
• Hiding the radar units would make for a cleaner design
• Volvo started hiding radar units behind its badging a few years ago

Ford is looking to built radar units into grille badges, a recently discovered patent filing indicates.

The patent filing in question was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) June 4, 2024, but was submitted to the agency by Ford in September 2020. It describes a way to keep the traditional look of grille badges without inhibiting the function of an integrated radar unit.

According to the application, indium film would be molded into the shape of a badge, and surrounded by layers of plastic front and back. Also used in semiconductor applications, indium has a chrome-like metallic appearance but still allows radar to “see” through it, Ford claims in the application.

Indium’s plasticity also makes it easy to mold into the desired …