Ford Motor Company announced it will form a new joint venture with home security company ADT Inc. called Canopy, which will combine ADT’s professional security monitoring and Ford’s AI-driven video camera technology to help vehicle owners strengthen the security of new and existing vehicles across automotive brands.

Theft has been a problem for about as long as vehicles have existed, including theft of property in vehicles. According to the U.S. FBI, $7.4 billion was lost to the theft of property stolen from vehicles in 2020. Commercial vehicles are particularly popular targets for thieves, as they often contain valuable equipment, tools, and materials.

“The combination of our technologies and our deep security experience creates a new category of protection for work and personal vehicles,” said Elliot Cohen, ADT Chief Business Development Officer. “Vehicles represent the second-most-valuable asset for consumers, and helping to protect them extends ADT’s safe, smart, and sustainable solutions far beyond the home.”

Canopy will provide AI-powered connected security cameras and a corresponding mobile app for a variety of vehicle makes and models, according to Ford. The new offerings will integrate ADT’s Safe by ADT platform to provide professional monitoring and help businesses protect valuable work equipment in vehicles.

Ford also said the new Canopy solution will help individual vehicle owners strengthen security inside and outside vehicles by integrating camera security solutions in Ford vehicles next year. Canopy will also seek factory-vehicle integrations with other automakers over time.

“Thieves have been even more active during the pandemic and know business owners store valuable equipment in vehicles, often hauling more than $50,000 of gear. Canopy is here for those who’ve had enough of thefts that threaten their livelihoods,” said Franck Louis-Victor, Vice President, Ford New Business Platform. “Key to Ford’s software-led transformation are new ideas such as Canopy and collaborating with other innovators such as ADT, which brings to vehicle security their leadership protecting families, homes, and businesses.”

The FBI estimates that theft of valuable work equipment is believed to be underestimated in stolen vehicle reports. Small business owners face even greater opportunity costs with the deferral or loss of jobs while replacing stolen items.

Canopy’s first smart vehicle security system accessory will make use of acoustic sensors for vans, onboard cameras, radar, LTE, and GPS. The initial product will include a camera mounted in either a van’s cargo area or on a pickup facing the bed. The platform will use AI technology to identify and report credible threats while reducing false alarm signals.

Customers will be connected to the system via the Canopy app to livestream video from the vehicle, get notified of suspicious activity, or review past events. The system will trigger a smartphone alert of any indicators of potential criminal activity, such as breaking glass, metal cutting, or suspicious motion or sound near the vehicle. Customers can warn potential thieves they are being monitored by speaking through the smartphone app, enabled by a two-way audio feature that will be available by next year.

The Canopy system’s AI is designed to distinguish true threats from benign acts – such as a cat jumping into a pickup bed or construction sounds near a vehicle – before alerting the owner or ADT monitoring agents of potential theft. The system will alert ADT monitoring professionals if it detects a person loitering around or breaching the vehicle.

Like a home security service, ADT monitoring agents can then contact customers, fleet managers, or police to take additional measures to help prevent theft. Credible threats will trigger additional responses, including audible alerts, programmable voice recordings, and two-way audio in future updates.

Canopy products will be sold through vehicle dealerships, major retailers, and online. The new joint venture will partner with Ford Pro, the automaker’s commercial services and distribution division, to deliver the Canopy solutions to commercial and government customers of all sizes.

“Commercial customers around the world are laser-focused on protecting investments from costly replacements that can impact their bottom lines,” said Ted Cannis, CEO, Ford Pro. “Canopy will help Ford Pro deliver another service to fleets helping to improve total cost of ownership by staying productive and avoiding downtime associated with stolen tools and damaged vehicles – including the majority with mixed fleets since Canopy technology will be available across brands.”

Canopy has been developing and testing its first technologies for two years as part of Ford’s New Business Platform innovation incubation group. The new company will be headquartered in Detroit and London and led by Interim CEO Christian Moran.