Automakers may not have the best perspectives at the moment, considering the economic recession, however, that’s not a reason to give up trying, as shown by giant Ford. During the Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas this week, the automaker announced new features have been added to its SYNC system, that will help deliver real-time information to drivers, and help them save time and fuel.
Ford’s SYNC system, which they launched 18 months ago, was the result of a productive partnership with Microsoft. The ultimate purpose of a car is not only to safely get the driver to a specific destination, but also to do it in the fastest, easiest, and less expensive way.
Furthermore, the automaker designed the system in such a way that it would be affordable to as many customers as possible. Ford is taking advantage at this point of a combo that is most appealing to consumers, which implies a reliable car and unlimited connectivity.
As Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally pointed out in his CES keynote, his company is learning to think and act like an electronics company through market-driven, customer-focused innovation, and partnerships with innovative technology leaders.
The SYNC system proved to be a winning ticket for Ford so far. According to the company, SYNC-equipped Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles sold twice as fast as those without the system, and 80 percents of respondents in a survey said they would definitely recommend the system to a friend.
So what’s new about the SYNC system? Ford added three new major features to it, namely Traffic, Directions and Information. In addition to that, SYNC also features a new range of shortcut commands meant to help the drivers even more.
The new Traffic feature was designed to save drivers time and money, the company explained, by providing them with traffic information such as traffic speed, traffic flow, real-time info on traffic incidents and road conditions. The updates and sent to the driver’s mobile phone, through text messages or alerts that drivers can get before even leaving home.
Another new feature of the SYNC system helps the driver obtain Directions, and the information returned also includes real-time updates. Ford explained that drivers can get directions either through the automatic connection to their personal devices, through turn-by-turn directions, which are transmitted through the car’s audio system and displayed on the radio, or through text messages sent to the driver’s phone.
The Information feature helps drivers personalize and categorize media topics, such as weather conditions, sports reports with scores and highlights, but also a wide variety of news. As Doug VanDagens, director of Ford’s Connected Services Organization, pointed out, there are no boundaries to the information users can access.
The new shortcuts also allow drivers to use commands such as “traffic to work” or “directions to home” while driving, Ford explained. VanDagens said the company will continue to develop the SYNC system, and will constantly provide new services to keep up with the new developments in the consumer electronics industry.
