• Ford may be looking at reinventing roof rails and racks
• A deployable solution would make vehicles more efficient
  
• Ford may also be working on deployable bed fins and dive planes

Ford may be developing roof rails and roof racks that deploy when needed, and stow when not in use to reduce aerodynamic drag, two patent filings show.

Patent applications for the deployable roof rails and roof rack were published separately by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on July 11, after being filed by Ford at earlier dates.

Deployable roof rails would fit into channels in a vehicle’s roof and pop up on hinges when needed, according to the respective patent application. They’d otherwise function like the fixed roof rails already available on many vehicles.

The deployable roof rack design concocted by Ford appears aimed specifically at pickup trucks. According to the application for this feature, the roof rack would stow against the back wall of a pickup’s cab, in the front area of the bed. The L-shaped structure would then pivot up allowing the rack portion to rest horizontally and secure to the roof with suction cups, allowing it to easily revert to the stowed position when not in use.

It’s unclear if either feature will reach production. Ford has a growing pile of patents for features that blend functionality with aerodynamics, including retractable fender tie-down points and a reconfigurable tonneau cover that could also serve as an active aerodynamic aid.

Ford has also tried to patent deployable bed fins for pickup trucks, although they don’t appear to serve any purpose beyond cleaning up the airflow around the bed. Yet another patent filing from the automaker shows deployable dive planes to generate more downforce in performance cars.