Ford has filed a patent that is supposed to provide what the car manufacturer calls “in-vehicle advertising.” The solution is to eavesdrop on what’s being said in the vehicle, correlate that with location and other data, and serve “bespoke” ads.

The patent reveals systems and methods that would achieve the goal of targeting ads to car occupants, using their conversations.

Cars have long since become yet another common place where people’s privacy is being slowly eroded – but some observers are now wondering if the latest idea out of Ford may be “crossing the line.”

Whether or not Ford’s patent, which takes intrusive advertising practices to another level, would face any type of backlash from buyers of their machines remains to be seen; but even some advertising professionals are worried things may be getting out of hand at this point.