More tech in your car? Oh, that's inevitable. But automakers are trying to figure out the best way to implement it. There are two main architectures currently; tethered and embedded. Ford's SYNC is an example of a tethered tech-integration system that uses Bluetooth to connect to mobile devices consumers already own and carry with them. General
Ford Sync makes friends with an Apple iPad – Click above to watch video after the jump
When Ford's Sync infotainment system went live in late 2007, the technology looked promising to us but we weren't ready to bet the farm that customers were going to adopt it in large numbers. Two and a half years later, Ford and partner Microsoft are celebrating the two millionth Sync system installed, which happened to go into a Chris Shunk
MyFord Touch – Click above for high-res image gallery
If you knew that Big Brother someone who controls your paycheck was watching how you were treating his or her company-owned vehicle, would that knowledge alter the way you drive it? That exact functionality is available with the Crew Chief application of the Ford Work Solutions package, and initial reports are showing that employees driving Ford F-Series tr
If you knew that Big Brother someone who controls your paycheck were watching how you were treating his or her company-owned vehicle, would that knowledge alter the way you drive it? That exact functionality is available with the Crew Chief application of the Ford Work Solutions package, and initial reports are showing that employees driving Jeremy Korzeniewski
Hands on with MyFord Touch and SYNC App Ecosystem – Click above for high-res image gallery
Here's another first for Ford after the revelation of its motion-capturing software: The Blue Oval will be the first to offer iTunes tagging through iPods on SYNC-equipped vehicles. Right behind the announcement of mobile I
The SYNC system offered by Ford in most of its models just got a lot more interesting. In addition to giving vehicle owners super simple connectivity with virtually any phone or music player and the best voice recognition in the biz, the next generation of SYNC will add mobile internet compatibility to its USB ports. What does this mean? It means that if you've got one of those fancy 3G modems for
Ford's victory with Sync isn't contestable – the connectivity system has a 70-percent uptake rate, and 32 percent of people list it as one of the reasons they bought a Ford. Over one million Sync-equipped vehicles have been sold in three years. The Blue Oval's exclusive deal with Microsoft ended last year and other Microsoft-powered in-car competitors will be arriving soon, so Ford has been busy working on new elements that it hopes will keep Sync in front of the challengers.
Ford and Microsoft, sittin' in a tree... right, you know the rest. With the official October 22nd launch of Windows 7 right around the corner, the Blue Oval has reportedly pledged to support the Washington-based software company's new operating system however it can.
At first, Ford's SYNC wasn't much more than a way for drivers to access music on their MP3 players through their car's radio. But SYNC grew up and, in its last update, gained the ability to summon help in an emergency, access navigation and information services and, basically, match GM's OnStar.
Click the image above to view a video of the new SYNC system after the jump
Ford has been winning sales with SYNC, but the infotainment interface may also save lives. We already knew that SYNC, when sync'd up with a Bluetooth-enabled phone, can call 911 for you in the event of an accident. Now, a report from the Blue Oval contends that SYNC can help prevent a collision from happening in the first place. Studies show that Chris Shunk
Ford's head of electronics told Autoblog today that the future of SYNC is already in the works, including the possibility of one day opening up the platform to the developer community.
Ford and Microsoft debuted SYNC at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show, updated the system at last year's event and now keep the tradition alive with more enhancements for 2009. The next iteration of SYNC will sport new features able to take full advantage of a user's GPS-enabled bluetooth smartphone.
When Ford launched its new SYNC in-car communications system in the Ford Focus, the crew in Dearborn may not have known just how popular the option would prove to be. While the SYNC system has started to infiltrate the rest of the Blue Oval line, its integration is apparently not moving fast enough for many consumers. Doug White, Vehicle Personalization Marketing & Planning manager at Ford says, "Customers and
