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It looks like I owe my favorite brand an apology. I was fearful Ford was straying further away from what consumers really want. And man, was I wrong. Here’s the story: Not too long ago, I wrote a piece complaining about how dashboards are now just screens, upon screens, upon screens. You know, the kind that make your car feel more like a phone you’re trapped in, rather than a car you want to drive. In that article, I poked at Ford — specifically the 2025 Expedition. That’s because in 2023, Ford filed a patent for something that (on the surface) looked horrifying: In-Car Ads.

Naturally, my car-loving heart sank… 

The idea of buying a $60,000+ vehicle, only to then be bombarded with pop-up ads like some sketchy download site from 2002? No thanks. But after digging deeper… 

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Turns out I owe Ford an apology…

That “in‑car ad” patent — officially US20240289844A1 filed in February 2023 — wasn’t filed because Ford wanted to stuff ads into your Sync 4 screen. It was filed to stop other companies from doing it first. Yep, Ford’s move was a defensive patent. Wooley hinted at that a while back back actually. But it’s like this: If Ford owns the patent, then other companies cannot legally flood your car with intrusive ads, unless Ford licenses the idea… which they don’t plan to do.

Ford even said as much when questioned…

“Submitting patent applications is a normal part of any strong business… (it) should not be viewed as an indication of our business or product plans.”

Translation: Just because Ford patented it, doesn’t mean they’re going to build it. That also explains why Ford did something similar with another eyebrow-raising patent: The much-discussed repossession tech patent (serial 0055958). This one outlined a system where a vehicle could disable features like the A/C or radio… and ultimately even self-drive itself to a repo lot if a customer missed too many payments. But again, Ford later abandoned that patent and repeated their stance: “Submitting patents… is not necessarily an indication of new business or product plans.”

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Now on one hand… 

Car enthusiasts aren’t necessarily wrong for being easily triggered these days (see photos above). There are many recent instances where carmakers have blantantly turned their backs on their fanbase. The invasion of electronics into modern vehicles has largely muddied the freedom & purity of the sport. But if it’s any comfort, in the car world (and the tech world too) companies file patents all the time just to block competitors from doing certain things. It’s like planting a flag on an idea so no one else can stake a claim.

And Ford isn’t alone here…

Mercedes-Benz filed US20240033383A1, an AR windshield system with UV disinfection. Not because they’re about to turn your E-Class into a germ-killing sci-fi lab, but to block others from grabbing control of advanced cabin tech. They also used a Taiwan Design Patent D128047 to fight off aftermarket headlight copycats. Toyota released 5,000+ hydrogen fuel-cell patents royalty-free… but quietly retained other EV-related and SEP patents to protect their future tech. GM, Ford, and Chrysler — back in the ‘90s — consolidated NiMH battery patents to effectively stall early EV development (a textbook case of a patent block). Tesla open-sourced their patents in 2014… but only if others returned the favor. That still protected their battery & drivetrain crown jewels. Even Rivian has filed defensive patents, like one for autonomous hazardous-material detection, to make sure they — not a competitor — hold the rights to such systems.

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So next time you see such headlines… 

Don’t ignore it. But pause for a second. Because the truth is, many patents like this are filed to keep features OUT of your car… not sneak them in. It’s a quiet war that automakers wage behind the scenes. So let them plant those flags… so your dashboard doesn’t turn into Times Square while you’re driving. Honestly, defensive patents might be one of the reasons your new vehicle isn’t even worse today than it could be. So thank you, Ford.

Article by David S. Windsor