According to the new Ford patent, named “Billboard Interfaces for Vehicle Displays,” the automaker plays with the idea of using a vehicle’s cameras to read roadside billboards and display targeted ads related to those billboards’ content on the vehicle’s infotainment screen, and identifying a segment of that image via a processor. Users would then be able to click on a link to give them more information on the ad.
The line art from the patent filing, which can be seen above, indicates the system can recognize a billboard for a local restaurant and generate a page inside the car. The page has a phone number that can be dialed at the press of a hyperlink, or navigation information can be served based on the address at the press of the link.
Ford could argue that it addresses the issue of lack of accessibility on billboards, providing less distracting(…?) information directly to the driver, usable with just a touch click.
That’s probably a potential new revenue stream for the industry through ads: a cheaper car if you accept ads, or paying an extra fee to get a no-ads option.
A Ford speaker said “Patents on new inventions are submitted in the ordinary course of our business, but they are not necessarily an indication of new feature or product plans”. Time will tell…!
