Autoblog

Blue Oval's Farley vows to fix MyFord Touch

Jeff Sabatini — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:14:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Technology, Ford

MyFord Touch is an enigma - not just because the infotainment system itself is difficult to understand and use, but because Ford just can't seem to figure out what to do about it. Ford's marketing chief Jim Farley tells Automotive News that despite ongoing criticism of MyFord Touch, even after a 2013 model year update, it "won't change our commitment to being a leader in infotainment. We want to be the best at it even if it means we have to improve the usability forever."

Farley goes on to say that despite all that the pundits at Consumer Reports have had to say - including writing that the system "stinks" in a recent blog post - 56 percent of buyers tell Ford that technology is an important consideration. Meaning that despite Ford's admitted inability to work the bugs out of MyFord Touch and make it more intuitive and speedy, it needs to stick with the system because it's a prime determiner for car shoppers.

Blue Oval's Farley vows to fix MyFord Touch originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford's second-gen SYNC system off to a buggy start *UPDATE

Reilly Brennan — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Ford, Lincoln

In 2010, Ford reinvented its SYNC system with the launch of the refreshed Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. But the new integrated system - MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch or what's known as "SYNC generation 2" - has been plagued by more than a few bugs. And part of the problem is due to its design.

If one of its various functions trips up - navigation, phone or entertainment, among others - the system can restart. This can leave the driver faced with a blank display and a restart procedure that can take two to three minutes. Double bummer: It usually wipes out your paired phones and indexed music.

After talking with several colleagues who have experienced similar issues (including one where the volume was stuck on max while the A/C continued to blow cold air in 42-degree weather) and experiencing these issues first hand for ourselves, we called up Ford's Head of Technology Communications, Alan Hall, and got on the phone with one of the Blue Oval's engineers to see what's causing the issues and how the automaker is addressing them.

Continue reading Ford's second-gen SYNC system off to a buggy start...

*UPDATE: Official statement from Ford added after the jump.

Continue reading Ford's second-gen SYNC system off to a buggy start *UPDATE

Ford's second-gen SYNC system off to a buggy start *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blue Oval adds fuel economy coach to MyFord Touch [w/video]

Chris Shunk — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Ford, Lincoln

Ford Eco Route - Click above for high-res image gallery

MyFord Touch promises to better connect drivers to their phones and MP3 players as well as the functions that are traditionally controlled by buttons and knobs. The screen will be displayed on a 4.2-inch LCD located directly in front of the driver next to the speedometer, with a five-way switch on either side of the steering wheel that enables the driver to access information without turning his or her head or taking a hand off the steering wheel.

MyFord (and MyLincoln) Touch already sounds impressive, but Ford apparently isn't done wowing with its functionality. The Blue Oval announced today that its new touch interface will also help drivers save fuel by arming them with real-time feedback on fuel efficiency performance, helping coach drivers on how to conserve fuel. Jim Buczkowski, Ford director of Global Electrical and Electronics Systems Engineering, says in the company's press release that MyFord Touch "provides an unprecedented level of information and interaction so drivers can make the choice to be more fuel efficient."

Ford's newest interactive infotainment creation will accomplish this feat by providing additional fuel economy information, similar to the SmartGauge leaf display utilized in the Ford Fusion Hybrid. SmartGauge rewards efficient driving with an increasing amount of leaves and flowers, and drivers can also track their fuel economy with a graphical bar chart next to the fuel gauge display that shows mile-per-gallon averages for the past five, 10 and 30 minutes.

Ford also plans to utilize its excellent navigation system to help drivers become more efficient. MyFord Touch pairs up with the map-based navigation to provide drivers an Eco-Route that instantly utilizes both historical and real-time traffic data to map you to the most efficient route possible. Ford says that while the Eco-Route isn't necessarily the fastest route, it can help drivers consume up to 15 percent less fuel on any given trip.

MyFord Touch arrives this summer with the launch of the 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. Hit the jump to watch a video and read over Ford's MyFord Touch press release, which also lists 10 useful tips for conserving fuel.

Gallery: Ford Eco Route

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Blue Oval adds fuel economy coach to MyFord Touch [w/video]

Blue Oval adds fuel economy coach to MyFord Touch [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford named one of Top 10 Most Innovative Mobile Tech Companies

Dan Roth — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Ford

MyFord Touch - Click above for high-res image gallery

The 19th century was the last time automobiles were on the vanguard of cutting-edge technology. While the ensuing ten decades have seen lots of automotive innovation, Fast Company magazine only came into being in 1995, and has been naming its top ten "Most Innovative" companies every year since. Ford has secured a spot smack in the middle of the list this year, the first time a car manufacturer has been invited to rub elbows with the likes of Amazon, Apple, and Google.

What has Ford done to deserve this honor? Swing open the door to a 2010 Taurus and it becomes clear. The Blue Oval's rides are immersion tanks of technological integration. From the Sync system to the more comprehensive MyFord Touch, there's been no let-up in Ford's push to put premium tech features in all its models. Ford's market research reveals that most buyers opt for the system, and at least a third of buyers think Sync was a critical enticement to their purchase. From our time with it, we agree, it's some cool stuff, and the 1.5 million Sync-equipped Fords prowling the street agree.

The actual honor is a fifth-place finish for mobile technology, and Fast Company says "the automaker has taken a great leap forward." Mark Fields backs that statement up by looking into his crystal ball (supplied by Visteon) and saying "Our relationship with Microsoft was just the beginning, as we've forged strong relationships throughout the mobile industry and look forward to even more." More cool stuff on the way? We'll take it. Press release after the jump.

Gallery: MyFord and MyLincoln Touch

Continue reading Ford named one of Top 10 Most Innovative Mobile Tech Companies

Ford named one of Top 10 Most Innovative Mobile Tech Companies originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Laws banning hand-held phones do not reduce crashes

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

This one doesn't surprise us one bit and we'll explain why in a moment. Until then, clock this: a Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) study determined that laws banning the use of hand-held phones have no effect on the crash rate. None, as in zero effect. Says HLDI and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety president Adrian Lund, "The laws aren't reducing crashes, even though we know that such laws have reduced hand-held phone use." So there you go, drivers get into an equal number of crashes with or without cell phones.

As to why we aren't surprised by the HLDI's findings, two reasons... well, really three. The first being that over the last decade and a half there has been an exponential increase in American cell phone usage. We went from only yuppies walking around with Gordon Gekko sized brick phones to nearly everyone having a mobile phone. If cell phones and driving are as dangerous as certain state lawmakers were led to believe, we would have seen a similar exponential rise in accidents. But, we never saw one. Instead, it was just one big hysterical case of causation without correlation.

The second reason is something Ford showed us while we were checking out their new MyFord Touch technology. Ford engineers were explaining just how crazy dangerous it is to text while driving. According to Ford's data, texting while driving is 23 times their baseline as dangerous as just plain old driving - by far the most dangerous activity you can engage in behind the wheel. Looking at FoMoCo's chart we noticed that hands-free cell phone usage registered a +1 in terms of danger - statistically insignificant. However, talking on a hand-held cell phone recorded -1, less accidents occurred in Ford's study when people were talking on a hand-held phone than when they were just driving. That said, -1 is statistically nothing.

Our third reason is more observational than data of science based, though it does square with the HLDI's findings: people seem to drive just as lousy phone or no phone. Wake up and drive people.

[Source: HLDI News | Photo: Corbis]

Study: Laws banning hand-held phones do not reduce crashes originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Mulally summarizes SYNC's successes, talks about Ford's future

Tim Stevens — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: CES, Technology, Ford

The 2010 Consumer Electronics Show is underway, and Ford CEO and President Alan Mulally kicked it off with a lengthy keynote. A very lengthy keynote. For an hour-an-a-half, we were peppered with details about Ford's successes, its inspirations, and, of course, its plans for the future. We've already learned quite a bit about what's coming next, and even had a chance to try it, but it's good to have Mulally and his cohorts put it all into perspective for us. We sat through the entire presentation and have summarized the important bits after the break so that you don't have to. Click on through and see what's up at the Blue Oval.

Continue reading Video: Mulally summarizes SYNC's successes, talks about Ford's future

Video: Mulally summarizes SYNC's successes, talks about Ford's future originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MyFord Touch and SYNC App Ecosystem hands-on [w/video]

Tim Stevens — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: CES, Videos, Ford

Hands on with MyFord Touch and SYNC App Ecosystem - Click above for high-res image gallery

You've read the PR, seen the press shots and probably snickered a little at the quote from Ford's Derrick Kuzak indicating that his company's latest tech "will cause people to fall in love with their vehicles again." After getting a chance to play with a few entrants into the company's so-called SYNC App Ecosystem, and getting behind the wheel of a MyFord Touch-equipped mockup vehicle, we're not laughing - but we are smiling. It's impressive tech, so follow the jump to see some videos and check our impressions.

Gallery: Ford Sync App Ecosystem and MyFord

Continue reading MyFord Touch and SYNC App Ecosystem hands-on [w/video]

MyFord Touch and SYNC App Ecosystem hands-on [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MyFord Touch proves that the shape of things to come is awesome

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: CES, Technology

MyFord Touch - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford began its MyFord Touch presentation with a simple question: "People line up for iPhones - why not cars?" What is it about certain pieces of technology that makes them a "must have"? And since the iPhone is really just a merger of two things we already have (a cell phone and PC), is it possible to blend something into a car that will get 'em lining up around the block? Quite obviously, Ford's hoping the answer is yes.

MyFord Touch - and if you buy a Lincoln, MyLincoln Touch - is a piece of driver connect technology like SYNC, only much more advanced. In fact, you can think of MyFord as SYNC 2.0. Or, you could, if not for the fact that there already is a SYNC 2.0. Regardless, in-car technology can do myriad of things these days, and Ford thinks it's found a way to group and display all of a vehicle's functionality in a logical, intuitive and useful way. Sadly, Ford is internally calling this "simplexity," as in making the complex simple. Or, as we wrote in our notes, "barf." Thankfully, the public will know it as MyFord Touch.

Gallery: MyFord and MyLincoln Touch

Continue reading MyFord Touch proves that the shape of things to come is awesome

MyFord Touch proves that the shape of things to come is awesome originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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