Whether you adore them or detest them, advertising is the lifeblood of the internet. It's a flawed yet intricate mechanism that tracks clicks, views, and page visits, while sifting through your browsing history and other data to deliver the most relevant ads. Ford has recently filed a patent that aims to extend and enrich this experience into your vehicle. The patent details a system that leverages your destination, route, speed, travel history, location, traffic, and more to decide the type and quantity of ads to display on the car's multiple screens.
The system even adjusts the ad count based on the type of road you're on, be it a city street or a highway, and Ford will be closely monitoring. The automaker plans to evaluate user interactions with the ads, possibly including acoustic data from in-car conversations, to gauge the user's tolerance for ad frequency. The system might reduce ad interruptions during conversations or play audio ads when the cabin is silent. It could also detect keywords or phrases related to the driver's destination, combining this with historical data to start serving relevant ads, which raises serious privacy concerns.
One positive aspect of online ads is their role in subsidizing various online services, websites, and digital platforms, making them accessible at little to no cost. Google's business model thrives on this, offering users email, word processing, cloud storage, and other software services for free, in exchange for their data. It's a deal with the devil, yet users receive something in return. If Ford's ad system could offset monthly car payments or subscription fees, it might offer some benefit. However, it seems more like a way for the automaker to boost profits on top of the hefty $40,000 to $50,000 price tag for a new car. You can't have it both ways, Ford, so let's hope this remains just a patent. Or will future Ford vehicles finance themselves through ads? Only time will tell.
