New Ford SYNC features personalized news and traffic details to help drivers save time and fuel.
Debuting this spring, Ford’s next-generation system – SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information – leverages industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS technology and a customer’s Bluetooth-capable mobile phone. The new SYNC services are available on select 2010 models and will roll out across the entire Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury lineup by 2011. Ford expects to have 1 million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road by the third quarter of 2009.
Using easy-to-remember “short-cut” commands, such as “Call Dave at home” and “traffic to work”, customers can now contact friends and family hands-free as well as save time and fuel by navigating around trouble spots. And, the new SYNC services come with no monthly subscription fees for the first three years, allowing customers to access real-time personalized traffic reports, precise turn-by-turn driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather.
Launching on 12 Ford vehicles simultaneously, SYNC’s connectivity technology and affordability is proving to be extremely popular with customers. SYNC-equipped Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles sell nearly twice as fast as those without, and a Ford survey of SYNC customers showed nearly 80 percent of respondents “definitely would” recommend it to a friend.
The new SYNC features include:
Traffic – Drivers get a text message alerting them to the location and severity of accidents or new road construction causing areas of heavy congestion.
Directions – Using simple voice commands, drivers can request directions from a database of 14-million-plus businesses and get turn-by-turn directions downloaded to the vehicle and spoken to the driver over the audio system as well as displayed on the radio.
Information – From personalized sports reports or stock portfolio updates to current weather conditions, customers can personalize favorite media topics and news using voice commands or through www.syncmyride.com.
Ford is partnering with Microsoft and other recognized companies – INRIX, TeleNav, Tellme (a Microsoft subsidiary), M/A-COM and Airbiquity -- to enable the new services to connect to real-time data. To take advantage of Traffic, Directions and Information, customers simply have to pair their Bluetooth-enabled phone with SYNC and activate the service via www.syncmyride.com
Quotes
“Our vision with SYNC is to be a leader in connectivity, making it affordable for millions – just as Ford has done with safety and fuel-saving technologies. In less than 18 months since we launched SYNC, Ford has delivered two more major new features, and we have more in store. We are a car company that through market-driven, customer-focused innovation is learning to think and act like an electronics company, leveraging partnerships with fresh, innovative technology leaders.”
- Alan Mulally, Ford President and CEO
“We define connectivity as a way to keep people moving through their lives – not simply as an on-board computer. Our approach focuses on connecting people to the information they need, whenever and wherever they need it. These new features are aimed at enhancing the driver’s entire quality of life.”
- Mark Fields, Ford’s President of The Americas
“Ford is unique because we continue to build on the power of the SYNC system that lets customers connect to off-board services through their own mobile devices. With that foundation, there is no limit to the data we can offer. Working with our partners – the best of the best in the technology world – we will continue to provide new services in a timeframe on par with the consumer electronics industry.”
- Doug VanDagens, Director of Ford’s Connected Services Organization
Tags: connectivity, Ford SYNC, Ford Technology
