GM has filed a patent application for a system that can detect if a vehicle is improperly loaded. GM’s patent application is designated US patent number 2026/0091799 A1 and was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on October 2And2024. Submission published April 2And2026, and lists three Canada-based engineers as its inventors, including Avesta Goodarzi, Utkarsh Saini, and Steffen Peter Lindenthal.
GM’s patent describes a system designed to alert drivers if they are carrying too much weight or loading cargo in an unbalanced manner, with the goal of improving safety by alerting drivers when a vehicle’s load could adversely impact stability or even cause structural damage.
This system works by using one or more cameras installed around the outside of the vehicle, including the front, rear and sides. This camera captures images of the vehicle and its surroundings, particularly the cargo area and the vehicle’s position relative to the ground. The processor is then used to analyze the image.
From this analysis, the system estimates things like how much compression the suspension has, which can be used to estimate the total load being carried. It also calculates the load’s approximate center of gravity, including its position from front to back and side to side. In addition to camera data, the system in this new GM patent can also use input from other sensors, such as vehicle speed, to determine whether the vehicle is in a parked or seated position. This helps improve accuracy, as measurements taken on uneven ground can lead to incorrect estimates.
After the system determines the weight of the load and the center of gravity, the system will compare these values with the predetermined limits. If the system detects that the vehicle is overloaded or the load is not evenly distributed, it can issue a warning to the driver via the vehicle interface, and in some cases, can even suggest how to change the position of the load or how much load to lower.
Of course, this system will be very useful for various GM pickup trucks and commercial vehicles that frequently transport cargo, especially heavy or oversized cargo, because it has the potential to reduce the risk of accidents and also minimize the potential for damage to the vehicle.
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