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Ford Patents In-Car System That Eavesdrops So It Can Play You Ads

Imagine your car playing you an ad based on your destination, vehicle information—and listening to your conversations.

Ford has patented a system that, per the filing, would use several different sources of information to customize ad content to play in your car. One such information stream that this hypothetical system would use to determine what sort of ads to serve could be could be the voice commands you’ve given to the car. It could also identify your voice and recognize you and your ad preferences, and those of your passengers. Finally, it could listen to your conversations and determine if it’s better to serve you a visual ad while you’re talking, or an audio ad when there’s a lull in the conversation.

If the system described in the patent knew that you were headed to the mall on the freeway based on destination information from the nav system and vehicle speed, it could consider how many ads to serve in the time you’ll be in the car, and whether to serve them on a screen or based through the audio system. If you respond more positively to audio ads, it might serve you more of those—how does every five minutes sound?

But what if the weather’s bad, traffic is heavy, and you’re chatting away with your passenger? Ford describes the system using the external sensors to perceive traffic levels and weather, and the internal microphone to understand conversational cadence, to “regulate the number (and relevance) of ads shown” to the occupants. Using the GPS, if it knows you’ve parked near a store, it might serve you ads relevant to that retail location. Got passengers? Maybe you get an audio ad, and they get a visual one.

Given how consumers feel about advertising and in-car privacy, it is difficult to imagine an implementation of this system that wouldn’t generate blowback. But again, the patent isn’t describing some imminent implementation; it just protects Ford’s IP that describes a possible system. That said, with the encroachment of subscription-based features, perhaps it’s only a matter of time before you’re accepting a $20/month discount to let your new Ford play you ads on your commute.

StarshotJohn ,
@StarshotJohn@lemmy.world avatar

Will they turn it off when you test drive? I bet there will be some nefarious test drive mode that doesn’t show how fucked the car’s systems are.

taiyang ,

This means my car will be cheaper, right?

…right?

werefreeatlast ,

Me: I’ll just need a screwdriver and a hammer to chisel that shit off the motherboard from the radio 📻…

Ford: actually it’s an integral part of the fuel pump, the fuel injection timing system, the breaking system and the battery BMS system…and the head light controller…it’s in all vital systems!

Me: check out my all new Honda!

Etterra ,

Maybe there’s a way to dumb down the technology with 1950s bypasses. Just skip the computer entirely.

Bookmeat ,

Give me a free car and I’ll test it out with this “service”. I’m not buying a car that advertises to me.

fubarx ,

NEW feature: As you drive down the road, Ford cars will automatically take over and drive you to the nearest sponsor location. Hungry? It will take over and swerve into the nearest KFC drive-thru. Next stop, CVS pharmacy, then Office Depot.

Disclaimer: Disabling AutoAd feature requires monthly subscription.

Grimy ,

“But honey, the car took me to the strip club, it isn’t my fault”

OmgItBurns ,

If/when this happens it will just lead to a rise in aftermarket products to disable the feature.

Hell, since they will probably use AI to parse the audio you can probably use it to fuck with your friends. Like when people would put out hyper-specific FB ads but via cars.

Tylerdurdon ,

So then… Laxative and boner-pill ads all day long? Maybe mix in some Geritol here and there?

RememberTheApollo_ ,

And then they integrate the systems with proprietary cross checking so that you can’t swap out or disconnect components, doing so will throw a code that will prevent cars from passing inspection on the CAN bus or cause a no-start. Why? Because they’ll put that shit in the contract when you buy.

Just like the outrage over car features needing subscriptions to activate, people will bitch and complain, then they buy the car anyway.

teamevil ,

I’ve got a solid 20 that Ford also patents whatever it is that turns this system off…

MrAlternateTape ,

I really hope my car holds out for a long time, because fuck ads in my car. I don’t want my car to listen to anything but the controls I use to drive.

Is there really anybody who thinks they would like that?

plz1 ,

Is there really anybody who thinks they would like that?

Auto companies don’t care what people like, only what level of BS people would put up with before going to a different brand.

11111one11111 ,

Companies don’t care what people like, only what level of BS people would put up with before going to a different brand.

Ftfy

rottingleaf ,

Things were better because people would “go to a different brand” and sue morons more often. They’d also be more confident of their own knowledge in various technical things.

Things becoming more complex was used to gaslight a lot of people into questioning their own knowledge about what they need. Such gaslighting first and foremost works via people being ashamed to be stupid and pretending they know it all.

Most (even technical) people are like this - they feel that they don’t understand the world around them, it’s stressing, spying, rigged, chaotic in the wrong places and ordered in the wrong places, - but they are ashamed and pretend. And what they pretend to think specifically and what they try to follow is communicated to them via ads, via movies, via corporate bullshit. Because they have nothing else to turn to.

It’s a bit similar to the way some autistic people do imitation - they too imitate ads and movies more than people around them (well, maybe also imitate people they are romantically attracted to, or those they consider cool).

Or to the way state propaganda works in atomized societies - people don’t have good horizontal ties, but pretend to have them, while taking the material from what they hear on TV.

20 years ago would you use something like an Android phone with no buttons or would you crush it with a hammer? Would you use something like Windows 10 or would you ignore that crap? Would you buy a car that spies after you?

marzhall , (edited )

Finally I can add to the list:

  • Fix Or Repair Daily
  • Found On Road Dead

and now,

  • Frequently Off Recording Device
atrielienz ,

Fucked Or Running. Depends.

SlopppyEngineer ,

I’lp make it a point to discuss other car brands when in a Ford from now on

norimee ,

I hate this timeline.

kubica ,

Welp, they needed to tell people about themselves, I'm taking note.

Gork ,

Do they not realize this will hurt their Brand?

Short term ad profits aren’t worth losing customers.

De_Narm ,

They very much are for a lot of people. Lines goes up, you can give yourself a nice bonus payout and if things come crashing down you leave. With your golden parachute of course.

Wrench ,

In general, digital privacy invasions have been very successful because of attrition.

Most people don’t care, those that do hold out, but then every competitor does the same and you no longer have any real alternatives. Eventually, the hold outs need to replace [car in this case] and the sting of the objectiknable change has faded, and they just move on.

Rinse and repeat.

We lost the fight for meaningful net neutrality, basic digital privacy rights, broadband limits, etc.

They’ll win this one too. Eventually. Your phones and IoT with microphones are already doing it.

fluckx ,

I guess they might lose customers, but the ad revenue will offset it. Which could be a win for them. Less cars to produce for the same amount of money. If they survive everybody else will probably just follow suit. Like the car functionality subscriptions.

I’m just sad we reached this point.

Ban targeted advertising. Ban data gathering. You won’t even have to deal with the f***ing cookie banners anymore.

Bob_Robertson_IX ,

If they survive

And if they show the slightest sign that they might not survive then the US Gov will bail them out.

rottingleaf ,

Ban any advertising unasked for, even better.

Valmond ,

Thr loved brand “Ford”.

limonfiesta , (edited )

No, because the barrier to entry for car manufacturing is significant.

If the other major car manufacturers weren’t already working a similar advertising system/platform, they’ve already scheduled multiple meetings to catch up.

This isn’t a problem that will be solved by the market and competition, only by regulation.

And I don’t consider tech savvy users learning how to hack and disable these features as a resolution, it’s just mitigation.

vegeta ,

I’m already sick of ads at gas station pumps, and will just sit in my car in order to avoid them.

Telorand ,

One of the buttons around the screen mutes them, in case you weren’t aware. I’ve found that it’s usually one of the ones on the top right, but it can vary.

LucasWaffyWaf ,

Not always. I’ve been to a couple pumps where none of the buttons did anything. At that point I’m tempted to get a squirt gun to spray into the speakers, hope it does something useful to the speakers.

bobs_monkey ,

Most of Arco/BPs new pumps don’t allow mute as far as I’ve found, I just layer electrical tape on the speaker

Anti_Iridium ,

I swear I’m going to break one of those pumps with how hard I push the buttons on the fucking thing that starts talking to me. I’ll never choose to go to a fuel station with those.

Askundilras ,

Ads at the pump? What do you live? Luckily I haven’t seen them in Germany yet. Guess it’s only a matter of time…

SomethingBurger ,

I’ve seem them in France, but they are rare.

Imgonnatrythis ,

Oh just wait. They are motivating me further to go electric. Very widespread across the US and very loud. Despite what people love to say about mute buttons on forums, many do not have a mute option.

vegeta , (edited )

USA - Washington DC Metro Area

Been happening for years now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSk3coye5Jg

werefreeatlast ,

Yeah we got those. You come back from work or a late road trip, maybe listening to quiet jazz to temper things down, suddenly at the pump this over powering buzzing noise “the all new slushy! Get them today! It’s inside! One free on every 50 fill ups! See inside for details!”.

Kaboom ,

It’s mostly valero pulling this shit. Everyone else seems to have gotten the memo

magnetosphere ,
@magnetosphere@fedia.io avatar

Yet another reason not to buy a Ford.

atrielienz ,

I’ve got 37 other reasons and they’re all recalls. Seriously, that’s just this year. They’ve had the most recalls of any manufacturer like 4 years running. At this point my whole family likes to joke that my brother’s got job security out the whazoo.

Zulu ,

Honestly good. Let no one else use that technology. Then all i have to do is not buy a ford.

That said, if you plug your phone into your car, this tech is already in place lol.

SkyNTP , (edited )

This is not how patents work. At all.

For one, patent owners are generally more than happy to license their technology to integrators, and even competitors, if there is money to be made.

More importantly, patents cannot be used to get exclusivity on products. Rather, patents can only protect novel approaches to how a product is made or served.

The patent system is designed to protect R&D costs exclusively, not some get out of jail card for anti trust. Of course, the patent office isn’t perfect, the system does get abused in anti-competitive ways. But in the end, it’s rare that that results in less consumer choice, because of licensing deals.

Zulu ,

Yeah, the “let no one else use it” portion of my comment is what i meant when you say “patent owners are generally more than happy to license their tech”

I hope ford doesn’t.

And yes while patents dont grant exclusivity it gives a company the option to try and argue that a competitors version isnt novel enough. In the USA, where ford is from, patent law screwery is abounds if you have enough money. Of which Ford is backed by the US government.

Im not here to point out whether or not the patent is the issue. The problem is the spying and selling of personal data. If ford proceeds in a way that limits that exposure to the rest of car manufacturers then fantastic, even if its only in a nominal way.

I do still appreciate your refresher on how patents work though! Hope the rest of your day goes well.

werefreeatlast ,

Same sentiment. I hope this patent rots so deep in their patent system that the hard drives turn to dust.

rebelsimile ,

I also understood what you clearly meant but this is a good exercise in not blowing up at a pedant.

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