Surveillance on wheels: Ford patent to record conversations and display personalized advertising
A Ford patent published on 29 August 2024 describes a system that enables personalized advertising directly in the car. Data such as location, destinations, weather and passenger conversations are used to broadcast targeted ads via screens or loudspeakers.
One scenario according to the patent would be, for example, for a vehicle to play suitable ads on the way to a shopping center, based on navigation data and the traffic situation. The system would also analyze the weather and conversations in the car to decide whether the advertisement should be audio or visual. The number of advertisements is to be regulated so that they do not irritate the occupants excessively.
Ford points out that the registration of new ideas does not necessarily mean that they will actually be implemented. In a statement to the car magazine MotorTrend the manufacturer commented as follows.
"Submitting patent applications is a normal part of any strong business […] The ideas described within a patent application should not be viewed as an indication of our business or product plans. No matter what the patent application outlines, we will always put the customer first in the decision-making behind the development and marketing of new products and services."
