Ferrari has patented a system that automatically applies brakes when there is a tall object that could potentially damage the car’s splitter or other body parts.
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Ferrari seems to have addressed a key concern of many supercar owners. Supercars or any other sports cars at large come with a lowered body, which results in short ground clearance. This often results in the underbody or splitter touching the road and damaging the car’s body. This translates to a hefty repair bill for the supercar owners. Interestingly, this is not just a supercar problem, but mass vehicles too face such issues. The Italian sports car manufacturer has applied for a patent that claims to prevent splitter and body damage.
Ferrari’s latest patent application aims to fix the issue of the front splitter or body of supercars being damaged from steep driveways or a speed bump. The automaker has filed a patent for an automatic braking system that detects objects relative to ride height, not just distance. However, this is still just a patent, and production is not guaranteed.
As the front splitters are getting lower and wider for aerodynamic efficiency of the sports cars, they work great on the track. However, in the real world, they may pose a threat to the safe driving capability of the sports cars. This is a key reason why many supercars come with axle lifter systems that help them get over such obstacles. Ferrari’s new patent filing aims to solve the problem. Interestingly, Ferrari has used the technology that is already available in the market.
The patent reveals that Ferrari has used sensors to detect the height of the object in front of the car. Then, if the object is too tall for the car to get over without scraping, it’ll send an audio alert to the driver. If the person piloting the car keeps going, the system will put on the brakes itself. For this, Ferrari isn’t relying on speed data from the car’s computers. Instead, the system measures distances between two points and calculates the speed of the car in real time. The patent even mentions pushing notifications to a phone or to the car’s infotainment system. This potentially covers the base to prevent rival automakers or technology developers from patenting similar technology.
Other car manufacturers, including Porsche and Chevrolet, use axle-lifting systems combined with GPS-based memory systems to automatically lift a car when it approaches a tall obstacle. Drivers can even program in the spots where they drive frequently to avoid a costly scrape.
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First Published Date: 26 Aug 2025, 18:00 pm IST
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