Autoblog

SYNC appears to be a big win so far for Ford, with the communications technology helping to move vehicles off dealer lots faster than vehicles without the system. Ford and Microsoft have been working to take SYNC to the next level, however, and the changes announced by Bill Gates at CES show that the technology is on an upward trajectory. Gates announced two new capabilities for SYNC that will help Ford offer a richer multimedia experience while competing with GM's OnStar satellite service.

First, SYNC will soon be able to assist drivers in calling 911 if an accident is detected. Drivers will need a SYNC-paired phone for SYNC 911 Assist to work, and since the SYNC simply uses the driver's phone, there is no monthly charge for the service. Ford tells us that it had to clear hurdles for 911 Assist because the government doesn't want systems to call 911 without human intervention, so a 10-second buffer gives drivers the ability to cancel the call. If the occupants of the vehicle are incapacitated, SYNC will automatically call 911 if the driver doesn't cancel the 911 call after 10 seconds. Ford points out that 911 Assist doesn't need an operator working as a 911 middle-man, giving it a speed advantage over OnStar. Hit the jump to read about SYNC's Vehicle Health Reports and Ford's official press release.

You can see a gallery of photos from the CES announcement here.

[Source: Ford]

Though GM's Rick Wagoner nabbed the honor of giving this year's keynote address at next week's 2008 CES Show in Las Vegas, Ford may grab the headlines with a suite of new in-car entertainment, navigation and communication technologies that it plans to implement across its brands in the near future. First up will be the second version of its popular SYNC interface, details of which are scant. Considering that the SYNC system's capabilities are already robust, we're not sure what else they can add to it and are eager to find out.

Ford will also be showing off its new SIRIUS Travel Link nav system, which gets updated in real time with all sorts of info from the SIRIUS satellites. Drivers can call up instant traffic data, weather, sports scores and movie showings, as well as plot a course to the gas station with cheapest fuel prices.

Finally, Ford will have its new navigation system sourced from Xanavi on display with what we believe is a ginormous 7.5-inch touchscreen and an in-dash hard drive that can store up to 2,400 songs. Hopefully it will also have the capacity to pause and rewind live radio like Cadillac's system in the CTS. We've already seen the Xanavi system's new, larger screen in images of the upcoming 2009 Lincoln MKS sedan, a car that's slated to be fitted with the gamut of Ford's new in-car technologies when it goes on sale this summer.

Keep your eyes on Autoblog early next week for when we start our coverage of the 2008 CES Show from Las Vegas. We'll have more details on what Ford and the rest of the auto industry has to offer in the way of electronics for the coming year.

[Source: Ford]