Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Christopher Thomas Berchin

Andrew D Niedert

Nicholas Alexander Scheufler

Mark George Vojtisek

Theresa Carranza-Fulmer

Seth Goslawski

A winch system for a vehicle is provided herein. The winch system includes a winch assembly that is coupled to a body. A sensor system is configured to monitor the winch assembly. A controller processes information from the sensor system. The controller is configured to determine a duration of use and service condition of the winch assembly. The controller is also configured to determine an unauthorized condition based on tampering. The controller is further configured to determine an operational condition from at least one of the service condition and the unauthorized condition. A display generates a visual message when the controller determines the operational condition.

Vehicle winch system

Automatic drive mode lighting systems and methods are disclosed herein. An example method can include determining when a drive mode of a vehicle is an off-road mode, determining when a speed of the vehicle is below a speed threshold, determining when a location of the vehicle corresponds to an off-road location, and automatically activating off-road lighting for the vehicle when the drive mode is in an off-road mode, the speed is below the speed threshold, and the location corresponds to an off-road location.

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Christopher Thomas Berchin