Ford has recently applied for a patent introducing a controversial Ford in-car ad system called the “In-Vehicle Advertisement Presentation System.” This technology uses in-car microphones to listen to passengers’ conversations and display targeted advertisements. It can also analyze voice commands and navigation data to serve relevant ads, like promoting local businesses or services.
This certainly brings up some privacy concerns. Listening to your conversations is a serious issues and will make drivers angry for sure.
Now, in the era of smart devices, we’ve also got to worry about our smartphones listening to our conversations for advertising purposes.
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The automobile is a sanctuary for private conversations, but that may become a thing of the past if Ford ever develops a patent it has filed to listen to in-vehicle conversations for targeted advertising purposes. The patent is part of a broader industry shift in which automakers are increasingly exploring ways to monetize user data.
But the eavesdropping situation seems to be reaching new heights with Ford’s recently published patent, which shows “systems and methods” that assist with showing more targeted ads.
The document also discloses that to achieve this goal, the new technology would listen to conversations that take place among people in the vehicle.
The patent filed by Ford Global Technologies reveals that the new technology would be able to listen to conversations and analyze data such as where the vehicle is located, its speed, what road it’s on, and whether the car is in traffic.
The system would also use information on the driver’s destination and location history to predict what kind and what length ads to show them.
Listening to passengers' conversations would also help the company learn how they react to the ads and the best times to run them through audio and human-machine interface (HMI) systems installed in the car.
The application also mentions using historical user data and third-party app information to refine ad targeting.
Ford has defended the reasoning behind the patent application. "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," a Ford spokesperson told The Record. "The ideas described within a patent application should not be viewed as an indication of our business or product plans."
In a follow-up statement, Ford said it "will always put the customer first in the decision-making behind the development and marketing of new products and services." The patent application does not offer specifics regarding data protection measures, likely causing privacy advocates to feel uneasy.
While such a system would rely heavily on data, the patent doesn’t show the collected data would be protected. Nevertheless, as with many issued patents, the released document doesn’t guarantee that the invention will be implemented in the future.
It also should be noted that auto manufacturers have been found to sell data about drivers' habits behind the wheel to auto insurance companies, which is then used to set insurance rates. This suggests that they view user data as another revenue stream to market to interested parties other than advertisers.
If this doesn’t anger you, wait till you are bombarded with texts and messages on your center screen, not to mention more garbage emails.
Ford has filed other patent applications that have raised privacy concerns. One recent example is a patent for "Systems and Methods for Detecting Speeding Violations. We have covered this on our channel.
And another controversial patent, which Ford later abandoned after widespread criticism, proposed a system for repossessing vehicles from owners who had missed payments. The system would either direct self-driving cars to repossession lots or disable standard vehicles by locking their steering wheels, brakes, and air conditioning.
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Lauren Fix, The Car Coach is a nationally recognized automotive expert, media guest, journalist, author, keynote speaker and television host. A trusted car expert, Lauren provides an insider’s perspective on a wide range of automotive topics and safety issues for both the auto industry and consumers. Her analysis is honest and straightforward.