New Hyundai Patent Could Save Your Truck From Getting Stuck Offroad

According to a report by CarBuzz, Hyundai might have some exciting new off-road-centric technology on its hands, if a recent patent filed by the automaker is any indication. 

The patent, which may or may not be coming to a future Hyundai (or Kia) covers a winch that's integrated into the inner workings of the car itself, unlike a winch you might see on a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco that's bolted to the bumper. An integrated winch has the potential to work a lot more effectively in getting you out of a jam as it would likely be easier to control.

Patents aren't always an indicator of what you're going to see on future models, but the fact that Hyundai is even thinking about the technology is noteworthy. Hyundai makes SUVs and a truck that are certainly capable of going off-road if the need arises, but it doesn't currently offer any proper 4x4s in North America. 

Looking down the road and getting all of the intellectual property like this winch squared away before the real engineering work goes into a potential new vehicle could lead to something interesting in the next few years.

As electric motors become more integral to current models of cars, using that power for something other than turning the wheels is really a no-brainer. This patent could very well be Hyundai hiding an ace up its sleeve for a future off-roader or SUV its engineers haven't even thought of yet. Patents don't always mean the respective company has an immediate use for the technology.

Hypothetically, it could have a place in future iterations of the Santa Cruz or full-size SUVs like the Palisade, should those vehicles ever get more serious about off-roading. 

Hyundai has its work cut out for it if the brand wants to compete with the likes of Jeep, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, and even Subaru when it comes to off-roaders. Thinking outside the box a bit with an integrated winch or other futuristic patents is how it gets a leg up on the competition. Still, even if all the tech results in is a wacky concept car, that's not an entirely bad outcome.