What does the patent being granted have to do with anything? At all? Whether Ford is granted or not granted the patent is irrelevant in this conversation, the fact it attempted to patent it is the issue. What the patent office does has no relevance here at all. None. Nada.
And every company that even thinks like this should be publicly lambasted, raked over the coals, and shunned!
That's fine. I would not have responded if you simply stated this.
However by discussing how the patent may not be approved, in the same post where you say ford may not use it, you give the impression you think there is a moral or ethical difference for Ford between the patent being approved or not.
I'd be more sympathetic to this response if the article didn't begin with:
> Yeah, you read the headline right. Ford has patented a system...
The fact is that it is not protected by a patent. That said, the fact that they are _trying_ to and investing in their attempts is indeed worth attention, as it indicates they think it's a good idea. Just without the sloppy reporting.
This is a published application for a patent. It has not been granted.
The success rate for patent applications is surprisingly low.
This will likely never be granted, or granted after many limitations* have been added by Ford.
Last, just because Ford is trying to patent something does not mean they will ever actually implement that IRL.
* "Limitation" has a specific meaning in patent law.