Why Did Ford Apply to Patent Illuminated Body Panels?

Very recently, Ford applied for a patent on what it labeled Luminescent Vehicle Moldings. The patent was discovered by a FocusRS Club forum member and seems to describe a unique way to illuminate body panels using electronics that respond to “light excitation.”
This very intriguing invention has us and many auto publications wondering what Ford is going to do with the “photoluminescent” panels. On the automaker’s patent application, there’s a diagram of a…