Ford Will Stay in Court on Drivers’ Obsolete 3G Modem Claims

Ford Motor Co. can’t make drivers in a proposed class action individually arbitrate their claims that it sold them cars equipped with modems it knew would soon become obsolete.

The automaker failed to show that plaintiffs agreed to arbitration when they activated mobile app “connected services” accounts that enabled them to use the internet-connected features, the US District Court for the Southern District of California said Tuesday.

Lead plaintiffs Michael Scriber, Stacy Powell, Doug Harrigan, and Susan Wisner Phillips bought or leased certain 2016-2020 Ford vehicles with 3G modems that allowed them to communicate with their vehicles using AT&T’s 3G ...