Ford and ADT are going to be keeping an eye on your stuff.
The automaker and security company are launching a new joint venture called Canopy that will provide on-vehicle video and audio monitoring to help secure gear that's stored onboard.
The subscription-based system that will be launched next year will primarily be aimed at commercial pickup and van owners. It will be able to alert an ADT center and the vehicle's owner via a smartphone app, and use an installed device to monitor any intrusions into their cargo areas. Future versions will be integrated into a vehicle's built-in surround camera system.
The way connected doorbell security systems work is similar to the way that owners can get a live view from their vehicle and even talk to anyone near it through a speaker. Artificial intelligence will be used to distinguish real threats from animals and loud nearby sounds that might cause an alert. Over $7.4 billion worth of work equipment was stolen in 2020, and the issue is only getting worse, according to Ford and ADT.
Thieves have been active during the epidemic and know business owners store valuable equipment in vehicles, often hauling more than $50,000 of gear. Canopy is here for those who have had enough thefts that threaten their livelihoods, Ford New Business Platform Vice President Franck Louis-Victor said in a news release.
Ford and ADT will invest over $100 million into the company, which initially launches in the U.S. and U.K. and could be used in the future on other brands' vehicles.