Automaker Ford's new patent allows the car to eavesdrop on what's being said by individuals aboard the vehicle for targeted advertising purposes.
The carmaker would allow drivers and passengers to view targeted ads based on user data. The patent included being able to listen in on conversations inside the car.
Authorized last month, the patent focuses on an "in-vehicle advertisement presentation system" to display commercials on the car's infotainment screen. That alone sounds annoying, but the same patent also hints at how the technology can eavesdrop on conversations to serve the target ads, according to MotorTrend magazine.
"For example, this can include listening to conversations between occupants in the vehicle," the patent indicated. "The conversations can be parsed for keywords or phrases that may indicate where the occupants are traveling to."
Along with so-called "audio signals," the in-car advertising system also proposes harnessing destination data to serve relevant ads. For example, if the technology predicts your car is going to a supermarket, the infotainment system could display commercials for available products.
"These systems and methods may intelligently schedule variable durations of ads, with playing time seeking to maximize company revenue while minimizing the impact on user experience," the patent added.
Ford enthusiasts cannot help but wonder if it crossed a line. Not too long ago, the automaker also targeted a patent that could read the speed of the cars around it using GPS and send the speeding cars' data to the police.
Whether or not Ford's patent, which takes intrusive advertising practices to another level, would face any type of backlash from buyers of their machines remains to be seen; but even some advertising professionals are worried things may be getting out of hand at this point.
Privacy advocates are understandably wary of this technology. The idea of car manufacturers recording in-vehicle conversations raises concerns about security and potential misuse of the data. Critics argue that such intrusive data collection could lead to targeted advertising that feels manipulative or even creepy. They also raise concerns about who would have access to this data and how it would be secured.
"We're used to seeing ads tailored to our online activity. However, having your car eavesdrop to serve ads based on your conversations and location adds a new level of intrusion. This type of system raises serious privacy concerns and could alienate a significant number of consumers who are already wary of companies collecting too much personal data," wrote automotive influencer Daryl Killian.
Ford defends the new "surveillance" patent
Meanwhile, Ford pointed out that applying for a patent doesn't mean it will be implemented. The car manufacturer said this is about building an intellectual property portfolio.
However, this reaffirms suspicions that the car industry may indeed be moving in the radically dystopian direction outlined in the patent. The patent also indicates that the automotive industry wants to tap into the vast amounts of money swirling around the murky ad industry while disregarding their customers' basic interests.
Despite the privacy concerns, Ford is defending the patent. "Submitting patent applications is a normal part of any strong business as the process protects new ideas and helps us build a robust portfolio of intellectual property," the company said in a statement. "The ideas described within a patent application should not be viewed as an indication of our business or product plans."
Ford added: "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."
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