Ford patents provide for a built-in sand ladder and tank swivel.

Several patents recently filed by Ford introduce interesting ideas for off-road vehicles.

The application, published April 21 at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), describes an integrated sand ladder that can be attached to various parts of a vehicle.

Sand ladders can be deployed to enhance traction so that the vehicle does not get stuck in sand. Usually they are simply stored inside the vehicle, but Ford suggests that they can double as running boards or be attached to various parts of SUVs and pickup trucks.

Drawings attached to the application show the Sandrail attached to the grille and tailgate of a pickup truck, a tube door that would be attached to a Bronco, and the flank of a motorized pickup like the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning

At the same time.

Another application published at the same time describes a "method and apparatus for performing a tank turn." This allows the truck to turn at its own length like a tracked military vehicle. Rivian has already demonstrated similar functionality with its R1T electric pickup.

Ford's version is also designed with EVs in mind. A central controller directs individual motors to drive the front and rear wheels in opposite directions. Ideally, this would apply to a four-motor powertrain, with one motor powering each wheel, but Ford noted that dual motors, one for each axle, would also work.

The system also applies braking power to wheels in opposite corners, such as the front right and rear left wheels, and adjusts the suspension loads on these wheels to allow tank turns, the document states.

This is not the first time Ford has attempted to patent Rivian's answer to tank turns. Another recent application describes using four-wheel steering to turn the front and rear wheels in opposite directions to achieve an off-road crawling feature. This appears to be based on a patent application for rear wheel steering published in 2019.

Ford has been quite busy with patent applications lately. It has also filed a patent application for a retractable exhaust tip to improve launch angles for off-road driving.