Ford investigates displaying adverts on car infotainment screens

Information from roadside advertisements would be beamed to a car’s infotainment screen under Ford’s patent application

Ford advert patent

Ford has patented a system that would scan roadside advertisement billboards and display information from them as pop-up ad on a car’s infotainment screen.

The patent, which was filed in the US back in 2016 but has only recently become publicly accessible, shows an example image of a billboard for a hot dog stand. Information including the business’ name, slogan, phone number, address and logo are highlighted as being displayable in the car.

The patent says this information would be captured from the billboard and relayed to the in-car screen “via a camera”, while online links could be included in the displayed information, taking the driver to the advertiser’s website upon clicking or tapping.

This isn’t the first time unusual patents have been filed by Ford. The US giant has previously submitted applications for a boot-mounted video projector, a system that rids a vehicle of its ‘new-car smell’, and removable driver controls for autonomous vehicles.

It’s unclear whether the in-car advert patent could be rolled out to Ford’s production cars, or whether it would be implemented in the UK. Similarly, the patent makes no reference to whether the innovation is intended for implementation in today’s cars, or any self-driving vehicles that may or may not arrive in the future. 

Another patent of a similar vein recently filed in the US comes from multinational communications giant Verizon. This describes a system where a camera scans a car’s number plate and uses the driver’s information - provided they have opted in to the service - to display a personalised advert on the nearest smart billboard.

Would you like to see adverts displayed on your car's infotainment screen? Let us know in the comments section...

Recommended

Best new cars coming in 2024
Best new cars coming in 2024 - header image
Best cars & vans

Best new cars coming in 2024

There are some big new models from the likes of Audi, BMW, Citroen, Ford, MINI, Skoda and more on the way in 2024
20 Nov 2023
'Once-dominant Ford and Vauxhall could become also-rans in the future'
Opinion - Ford plant
Opinion

'Once-dominant Ford and Vauxhall could become also-rans in the future'

Editor-in-chief Steve Fowler thinks Ford and Vauxhall need to get their pricing right in the EV era if they are to remain popular with customers
15 Nov 2023
New Ford Capri spied testing for the first time
Electric Ford Capri - front
News

New Ford Capri spied testing for the first time

Iconic Ford nameplate will return on MEB-based crossover
9 Nov 2023
Cars we can't buy in the UK, but wish we could
Best cars we can't buy in the UK – header image
Best cars & vans

Cars we can't buy in the UK, but wish we could

We choose our favourite cars from overseas
24 Oct 2023

Most Popular

UK firm fitting ‘pop bang’ aftermarket exhausts fined in landmark court case
MINI Hatch exhaust
News

UK firm fitting ‘pop bang’ aftermarket exhausts fined in landmark court case

A successful court action against a workshop advertising and fitting non-standard exhaust parts is ‘a lesson for businesses’ from the DVSA
23 Nov 2023
“Renault is taking over as the manufacturer of cars for the people”
Opinion - Renault Twingo
Opinion

“Renault is taking over as the manufacturer of cars for the people”

Mike Rutherford thinks Renault is doing more than any other manufacturer when it comes to making affordable electric cars
26 Nov 2023
New Renault Scenic 2023 review: the famous nameplate returns in style
Renault Scenic - front
Road tests

New Renault Scenic 2023 review: the famous nameplate returns in style

We get behind the wheel of new all-electric Renault Scenic to see what all the fuss is about
27 Nov 2023