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Mini Introduces RFID-Activated Billboards

Posted by kdawson on from the L.A.-Story-meets-Minority-Report dept.

frinkster writes "MINI USA has placed interactive billboards in 4 US cities (Chicago, Miami, New York and San Francisco) and invited a few hundred MINI owners in those cities to join their targeted 'advertisement' pilot program. The owners sign up on MINI's website and receive an RFID keyfob in the mail. When that MINI owner drives by the billboard, a targeted message appears. Each owner tells MINI what to show when they drive by, such as 'Jim, you are one sexy beast.' If the pilot program is successful, MINI plans to put up more billboards in more cities and allow every owner to participate. MINI swears that no personal information in contained in the keyfobs and that all communication between the MINI and the owner is subject to their privacy policy and thus the program is completely safe. But how well will they keep their billboard logs away from the prying eyes of law enforcement or private detectives? And what are they doing to prevent 'hackers' from changing the personal messages to insults, such as 'Jim, nice to see you finally emerge from your mother's basement'?" MINI calls the interactive billboards "Motherboards."

11 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Ya... by Swimport · · Score: 4, Funny

    This has good idea written all over it.

    1. Re:Ya... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I, for one, welcome our new RFID-reading Motherboards.

  2. More like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Jim, I'm finally glad to see you emerge from your mother."

  3. Fun! by ruiner13 · · Score: 4, Funny

    This could be fun to put out fake terror warnings on billboards to get people to drive faster :)

    --

    today is spelling optional day.

  4. Bigbrotherboards by CranberryKing · · Score: 4, Funny

    Great. How soon until it says "Jim! You are being detained."

    Believe it.

    1. Re:Bigbrotherboards by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Hi Akbar! It looks like you have traces of explosives on your car. Please pull over by the black helicoper up ahead."

      --
      It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
  5. insert bad joke here by BadERA · · Score: 3, Funny

    Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor, not an billboard trigger.

    --
    I am, therefore you think.
  6. There's nothing like a Hummer by genessy · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Jim - You should have got a Hummer!"

  7. Jim... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Owning a MINI does not make you gay Jim"

  8. Minis are underpowered by smitty97 · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Jim! You Could Have Had a V8!"

    --
    mod me funny
  9. My Favorite by wsanders · · Score: 2, Funny

    A friend of a friend once hacked one of those generator-powered message signs that the Highway Department leaves running, unlocked everywhere, with this message and the 800 number of the highway department:

    YOUR WEB SITE HERE
    1 - 800 - USA - MINI

    (or whetever their number is)

    --
    Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish, and he'll say "WHERE'S MY FISH, YOU IDIOT?"