• Greg ClarkeEnglish
    58•3 months ago

    Whoever filled the patent obviously didn’t consider the optics of this. I’m in the market for a new car and was considering a Ford. This will factor into my decision.

    • @Swallowtail@beehaw.org
      16•3 months ago

      My last Ford was a Focus with the dual clutch transmission, it was a complete fucking lemon (to the point where they were successfully sued over it and have done multiple recalls to fix it). I can excuse an automaker for the occasional shit car if their overall lineup is good and they’re honest with customers, but they knew the transmission was majorly flawed and continued to manufacturer vehicles that used it anyway. I’ve had it refuse to shift while I was driving on the highway before, which left me redlining at maybe 45 MPH. Dangerous and it could have gotten someone killed. I will never buy another Ford.

      https://www.freep.com/in-depth/money/cars/ford/2019/07/11/ford-focus-fiesta-transmission-defect/1671198001/

      • @nilloc@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
        2•3 months ago

        The pictures of stacks of failed clutches in r/justrolledintotheshop were enough to convince me.

        Ford had a habit of inventing new systems, but slapping them on the first couple model years of any vehicle before they seem ready.

        My dad had a first-gen Explorer Sport Trac with many notorious problems. My favorite was that both inside back door handles broke off it was like being locked in a police car back there.

  • wander1236
    26•3 months ago

    Not to defend the mega corporation, but companies file patents for ridiculous things all the time that never end up actually being made or used.

    • @bzz@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      4•3 months ago

      Yeah this was probably some rank and file employee that was trying to cash in on that sweet patent filing bonus Ford probably provides

    • Eager EagleEnglish
      4•3 months ago

      Exactly. A few months ago the headline was a patent of Roku hijacking HDMI to show ads.

      I’ll save my energy to be pissed off when this garbage actually makes it to market.

  • Daemon SilversteinEnglish
    25•3 months ago

    “The system can listen to conversations”.

    What a timely coincidence! Patent got published basically at the same time Meta’s, Google’s and Microsoft’s “Active Listening” got public as well. 🤔

  • @gi1242@lemmy.world
    14•3 months ago

    if there’s a really good way to bring ads inside your car, I’m happy someone patented it. it means fewer people will use it

  • @UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.mlEnglish
    11•3 months ago

    Imagine trying to use your finger to click the tiny x of the ad that covered your windshield while you’re on the highway

    • @tetris11@lemmy.ml
      4•3 months ago

      They would never do that, that would be dangerous. But at red lights, or when you first start the motor, or at the gas station? Oh you betcha betcha betcha

  • qprimedEnglish
    9•3 months ago

    as is traditional, one of our corporate innovators seeks to protect citizens (never simply consumers, no, no!) with a defensive patent - sure to now be locked away in a safe until natural corporate patent expiration 1000 years hence.

    now and forevermore we shalll sing in praise of this beneficent corporate citizen and their efficacious lawyerly thrust deep into the heart of our once inevitable (but now vanquished) future boring dystopia of ads beamed directly into our brains 24/7.

  • @CptEnder@lemmy.world
    8•3 months ago

    Maybe, just maybe Ford is doing all these horrid patents so they can just hold on to them so no one can make them… Would actually be pretty brilliant . That being said wayze already has ads.