Ford patented a system that uses a vehicle’s cameras to detect billboards and pull them up on a car’s infotainment systems.
While billboards have been used for advertisements for quite some time, they do not necessarily provide much information to those driving by them. Ford plans to fill in these gaps with in-car ads. The legacy automaker wants to display advertisements in the infotainment, including phone numbers, addresses, or links to an advertiser’s website. Ford explains this in its patent.
“The driver and/or passenger of the vehicle has a limited amount of time to obtain information from the billboard located near the road as the vehicle approaches and passes the billboard. In some instances, the driver and/or passenger of the vehicle may miss information of the advertisement on the billboard that directs the driver and/ or passenger to the corresponding business,” Ford wrote.
Ford’s patent leverages the built-in cameras of a vehicle to keep an eye out for passing billboards. With image recognition, cars could then display a copy of the detected advertisement through the infotainment system. Ford also intends to analyze the content of billboards to generate hyperlinks or phone numbers that passengers can access.
“The billboard interface includes a hyperlink of a segment of the billboard advertisement that initiates an event corresponding to the segment of the billboard advertisement to enable the user to obtain additional information associated with the billboard advertisement before, during, and/or after the vehicle passes the billboard advertisement. For example, the user may select a segment of the billboard interface that includes a phone number included in the billboard advertisement. Upon selecting the segment with the phone number, the vehicle and/or a mobile device of the user calls the phone number, for example, to enable the user to place an order with a business associated with the billboard advertisement,” Ford wrote.
While the presence of in-car ads would undoubtedly receive polarizing reviews from the driving public, there is little doubt that in-car advertisements would be effective. It may also pave the way for a business model similar to Amazon’s Kindles with “Special Offers,” which are affordable but display ads when in standby. With this in mind, perhaps Ford could start offering more affordable versions of its vehicles in the future to customers willing to view in-car advertisements while they are traveling.
Ford’s in-car ad plans would likely attract a lot of scrutiny among car owners and possibly regulators due to its potential safety risks. Ford may be working on innovations such as BlueCruise, but such systems are still best used with drivers that have their full attention to the road. In-car ads, which are designed to draw attention, would likely present notable risks.
Ford’s in-car advertisement patent could be viewed below.
Ford in Car Ads Patent by Maria Merano on Scribd
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Elon Musk
Tesla Supercharger Diner food menu gets a sneak peek as construction closes out
What are you ordering at the Tesla Diner?

The Tesla Supercharger Diner in Los Angeles is nearing completion as construction appears to be winding down significantly. However, the more minor details, such as what the company will serve at its 50s-style diner for food, are starting to be revealed.
Tesla’s Supercharger Diner is set to open soon, seven years after CEO Elon Musk first drafted the idea in a post on X in 2018. Musk has largely come through on most of what he envisioned for the project: the diner, the massive movie screens, and the intended vibe are all present, thanks to the aerial and ground footage shared on social media.
We already know the Diner will be open 24/7, based on decals placed on the front door of the restaurant that were shared earlier this week. We assume that Tesla Optimus will come into play for these long and uninterrupted hours.
The Tesla Diner is basically finished—here’s what it looks like
As far as the food, Tesla does have an email also printed on the front door of the Diner, but we did not receive any response back (yet) about what cuisine it will be offering. We figured it would be nothing fancy and it would be typical diner staples: burgers, fries, wings, milkshakes, etc.
According to pictures taken by @Tesla_lighting_, which were shared by Not a Tesla App, the food will be just that: quick and affordable meals that diners do well. It’s nothing crazy, just typical staples you’d find at any diner, just with a Tesla twist:
Tesla Diner food:
• Burgers
• Fries
• Chicken Wings
• Hot Dogs
• Hand-spun milkshakes
• And more https://t.co/kzFf20YZQq pic.twitter.com/aRv02TzouY— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) July 17, 2025
As the food menu is finalized, we will be sure to share any details Tesla provides, including a full list of what will be served and its prices.
Additionally, the entire property appears to be nearing its final construction stages, and it seems it may even be nearing completion. The movie screens are already up and showing videos of things like SpaceX launches.
There are many cars already using the Superchargers at the restaurant, and employees inside the facility look to be putting the finishing touches on the interior.
🚨 Boots on the ground at the Tesla Diner:
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 17, 2025
It’s almost reminiscent of a Tesla version of a Buc-ee’s, a southern staple convenience store that offers much more than a traditional gas station. Of course, Tesla’s version is futuristic and more catered to the company’s image, but the idea is the same.
It’s a one-stop shop for anything you’d need to recharge as a Tesla owner. Los Angeles building permits have not yet revealed the date for the restaurant’s initial operation, but Tesla may have its eye on a target date that will likely be announced during next week’s Earnings Call.
News
Tesla’s longer Model Y did not scale back requests for this vehicle type from fans
Tesla fans are happy with the new Model Y, but they’re still vocal about the need for something else.

Tesla launched a slightly longer version of the Model Y all-electric crossover in China, and with it being extremely likely that the vehicle will make its way to other markets, including the United States, fans are still looking for something more.
The new Model Y L in China boasts a slightly larger wheelbase than its original version, giving slightly more interior room with a sixth seat, thanks to a third row.
Tesla exec hints at useful and potentially killer Model Y L feature
Tesla has said throughout the past year that it would focus on developing its affordable, compact models, which were set to begin production in the first half of the year. The company has not indicated whether it met that timeline or not, but many are hoping to see unveilings of those designs potentially during the Q3 earnings call.
However, the modifications to the Model Y, which have not yet been officially announced for any markets outside of China, still don’t seem to be what owners and fans are looking forward to. Instead, they are hoping for something larger.
A few months ago, I reported on the overall consensus within the Tesla community that the company needs a full-size SUV, minivan, or even a cargo van that would be ideal for camping or business use.
Tesla is missing one type of vehicle in its lineup and fans want it fast
That mentality still seems very present amongst fans and owners, who state that a full-size SUV with enough seating for a larger family, more capability in terms of cargo space for camping or business operation, and something to compete with gas cars like the Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition, or electric ones like the Volkswagen ID.BUZZ.
We asked the question on X, and Tesla fans were nearly unanimously in support of a larger SUV or minivan-type vehicle for the company’s lineup:
🚨 More and more people are *still* saying that, despite this new, longer Model Y, Tesla still needs a true three-row SUV
Do you agree? https://t.co/QmbRDcCE08 pic.twitter.com/p6m5zB4sDZ
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 16, 2025
Here’s what some of the respondents said:
100% agree, we need a larger vehicle.
Our model Y is quickly getting too small for our family of 5 as the kids grow. A slightly longer Y with an extra seat is nice but it’s not enough if you’re looking to take it on road trips/vacations/ kids sports gear etc.
Unfortunately we…
— Anthony Hunter (@_LiarsDice_) July 17, 2025
Had to buy a Kia Carnival Hybrid because Tesla doesn’t have a true 3 row vehicle with proper space and respectable range. pic.twitter.com/pzwFyHU8Gi
— Neil, like the astronaut (@Neileeyo) July 17, 2025
Agreed! I’m not sure who created this but I liked it enough to save it. pic.twitter.com/Sof5nMehjS
— 🦉Wise Words of Wisdom – Inspirational Quotes (IQ) (@WiseWordsIQ) July 16, 2025
Tesla is certainly aware that many of its owners would like the company to develop something larger that competes with the large SUVs on the market.
However, it has not stated that anything like that is in the current plans for future vehicles, as it has made a concerted effort to develop Robotaxi alongside the affordable, compact models that it claims are in development.
It has already unveiled the Robovan, a people-mover that can seat up to 20 passengers in a lounge-like interior.
The Robovan will be completely driverless, so it’s unlikely we will see it before the release of a fully autonomous Full Self-Driving suite from Tesla.
Energy
Tesla launches first Virtual Power Plant in UK – get paid to use solar
Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom.

Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom. This feature enables users of solar panels and energy storage systems to sell their excess energy back to the grid.
Tesla is utilizing Octopus Energy, a British renewable energy company that operates in multiple markets, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States, as the provider for the VPP launch in the region.
The company states that those who enroll in the program can earn up to £300 per month.
Tesla has operated several VPP programs worldwide, most notably in California, Texas, Connecticut, and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. This is not the first time Tesla has operated a VPP outside the United States, as there are programs in Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.
This is its first in the UK:
Our first VPP in the UK
You can get paid to share your energy – store excess energy in your Powerwall & sell it back to the grid
You’re making £££ and the community is powered by clean energy
Win-win pic.twitter.com/evhMtJpgy1
— Tesla UK (@tesla_uk) July 17, 2025
Tesla is not the only company that is working with Octopus Energy in the UK for the VPP, as it joins SolarEdge, GivEnergy, and Enphase as other companies that utilize the Octopus platform for their project operations.
It has been six years since Tesla launched its first VPP, as it started its first in Australia back in 2019. In 2024, Tesla paid out over $10 million to those participating in the program.
Participating in the VPP program that Tesla offers not only provides enrolled individuals with the opportunity to earn money, but it also contributes to grid stabilization by supporting local energy grids.
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