Ford Patents a Pickup You Can Move by Pushing on ItCar and DriverDavid GluckmanMon, September 14, 2026 at 8:00 AM UTCAdd us on GoogleFord Patents a Truck You Can Move by Pushing on ItMichael Simari - Car and DriverA newly granted Ford Global Technologies patent is aimed at a very narrow use case.It allows an operator to move the truck forward or backward in small increments by pushing on an existing handle at the rear.The innovation could help anyone who needs to dump stone, dirt, or mulch a little bit at a time.Maybe it's because there are no truly new ideas, but many of the latest automotive patents are very narrowly focused on specific, niche use cases. In the case of a patent recently granted to Ford, it's not the suggested application that most interests us. "Systems and methods for moving a vehicle using externally mounted HMI" describes a way to move a pickup truck a little bit at a time to do things like unload landscaping materials—a thing people definitely do from time to time. It's the control mechanism that caught our eye, though.USPTOInstead of having to hop into the cab, move the truck a foot or so, and jump back out to continue working, U.S. patent #12,728,722 imagines a pickup that's controlled from the rear. To request movement from the stationary truck, the user (driver?) pushes on the pop-up grab handle included with the tailgate step that's an option on F-series trucks. The patent says pushing harder could make the truck move farther or could result in more frequent equal-size nudges.AdvertisementAdvertisementIt also mentions that this same feature could be used in reverse. We imagine parking sensors or something more advanced would be required to keep anything unsafe from happening at either end. Life-sized remote-control cars already exist, with some fancier self-parking systems able to be triggered from a key fob or phone from outside the vehicle. In comparison, safely inching along in the dirt seems like a simple problem to solve.USPTOFor some added insurance, the proposed system could respond only after the operator applies pressure and releases. The patent description says a dead-man switch could be added to confirm that the input is intentional. That seems wise since that grab handle is, after all, a grab handle first, and you wouldn't want someone climbing in or out of the bed to cause the truck to ghost-ride itself.We'd expand the idea to make that pole a full-on joystick, able to steer the truck as it trundles down the field to help you reap or sow. (New takes on the joystick seem popular these days.) That could be particularly useful when trying to hitch a trailer, although Ford already has the in-cockpit Pro Trailer Backup Assist for that.As far as pickup tailgate innovations go, this idea is genuinely wacky. We don't expect it to show up on Ford trucks any time soon unless landscaping professionals band together and lobby the company for its inclusion.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029