Though the Ford F-150 Raptor remains one of the coolest and most off-road capable pickups on sale, it’s no secret that the venerable model is losing a bit of ground to the competition. This is particularly true in terms of power, where its 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6’s 450 ponies just doesn’t cut it again trucks like the Ram TRX and its 702 horsepower 6.2-liter supercharger V8 or even the all-electric GMC Hummer EV and its 1,000 horsepower output. Of course, the Raptor R figures to solve that problem, but it appears that Ford is also looking to improve upon a feature present on the Hummer EV and the forthcoming Silverado EV – four-wheel-steering.
This much is clear from a patent that Ford recently filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which was first discovered by The Drive. Titled “Crawl Operations for Four-Wheel Steering Vehicles,” the patent contains drawings of a Ford F-150 Raptor, as well as details regarding how such a system might work. Turns out, it’s a bit different from traditional four-wheel-steering systems that we’ve become accustomed to, and even the Hummer EV’s “Crab Walk” mode.
According to the patent, this new system would be capable of turning the wheels in all sorts of directions, with the front wheels even capable of moving separately from the rear wheels. In fact, wheels at both ends could even turn opposite of each other, enabling a vehicle to move left or right without moving forward or backward, which is pretty wild, but it might provide a way to get unstuck in the worst kind of off-road situation.
It’s quite possible that such a system would wind up being used on an EV like the F-150 Lightning rather than the ICE-powered Raptor, however, as there is a dual motor setup present in some of the drawings. Of course, it’s unclear how such a system would operate, much less be controlled by the driver, as it seems like this would be incredibly confusing from inside the cabin.
It certainly wouldn’t come as a surprise if Ford offered four-wheel-steering on the F-150 Raptor and/or F-150 Lightning, though it may not be quite as complicated as this setup. However, if nothing else, it’s clear that FoMoCo is considering some pretty innovative options in that regard.
Source: Ford Truck Enthusiasts
