Ford is already thinking of the road ahead, in terms of the future of cars. According to a patent application filed on March 1, Ford is developing an autonomous vehicle entertainment system. The background information section of the application says that, “instead of concentrating on numerous driving-related responsibilities, the driver may be free to watch movies… with a projection screen located near the windshield.”
Accompanying drawings suggest how the system might work, with a drop-down screen at the front of the car, blocking out the windscreen, and a projector between the two front seats. Ford told Forbes magazine: “We submit patents on innovative ideas as a normal course of business. Patent applications are intended to protect new ideas but aren’t necessarily an indication of new business or product plans.”