Ford – Controlling vehicles with brain machine interfaces

In this patent application, Ford reveal that they’re looking at how users could control a car’s infotainment system with their thoughts. For example, if the AC is too strong and you want to turn it down, you won’t need to fiddle around with the controls of the car. With a BMI, you would simply think about turning down the AC and it will happen.

In order to get the BMI working with a user, the system would need be trained to associate specific neural activity patterns with specific actions. This would be done by getting users to perform hundreds of repetitive actions and gestures using a manual input device, and then processing a feed of neural data.

This filing is an interesting example of where BMIs can helpfully reduce the friction between thought and action – for both safety and human efficiency. Fortunately Ford isn’t considering us controlling the steering of our car with our minds!