Ford wants to listen to your in-car conversations – report
09/07/2024 07:00 PM
The US car giant has patented tech enabling it to listen in on your conversations – and play you adverts based on what you and your passengers have said.
Ford has filed a patent to eavesdrop on vehicle occupants and play adverts over its infotainment system based on those conversations.
Only months after the US launched an investigation into whether Chinese-made cars were being used to spy on its citizens, Michigan-based Ford filed the patent designed to collect voice and data from the vehicle to create targeted advertising within the car.
According to US outlet Motor Trend, the system could also use information such as the destinations in the vehicle's navigation system to create advertising for, say, an outlet at the shopping centre you're travelling to – or have frequented.
MORE: US to investigate Chinese cars over national security fears – report
It could also use information taken from voice commands you make and even recognise your voice to serve up specific advertising targeted at you when you're in the car.
When multiple occupants are on-board, the software could play an advert during a lull in conversation – or determine a visual message is more suitable than an audio version based on the data it has collected – and depending on who is in the vehicle.
The number of ads could be regulated by the time to your destination, and sensors monitoring traffic and the weather would also influence the type of messages served.
The occupant response to the adverts is also monitored, and what's being delivered would either change or more of the same ads – if responded to positively – could be sent.
In-car privacy and the collection of personal data has been a controversial topic for car makers.
In early 2024, The New York Timesidentified several car makers – including US brands – involved in allegedly collecting personal information from drivers which was then passed onto external data brokers who sold it to insurance companies.
MORE: 'Your weight, your speed, where you work': How your connected car is tracking your every move
Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) – the national regulator for privacy information – told Drive, Australia's privacy laws were outdated and not able to deal with the increasing amount of data being collected in new cars.
While the idea of being fed ads while driving seems intrusive, Motor Trend suggests Ford has filed the patent not to introduce such a system, but instead own the patent to prevent others doing so.
It also enables the company to introduce the technology when/if playing adverts in a vehicle becomes socially acceptable, perhaps accompanying subscription-based services or features.
The post Ford wants to listen to your in-car conversations – report appeared first on Drive.
