![]() Some of that goes away if you spend an hour with the owner’s manual (unlikely), and some other aspects do need fixing such as too-small touchpoints on the screen corners that access basic functions - but Ford, rather limply, says the size meets industry standards, so it must be okay. Consumer Reports earlier this year said it wouldn’t recommend the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers because of the complexity of the MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch interfaces. LaHood wants to implement an automotive version of the Prohibition. LaHood and other critics say it’s inherently dangerous to turn American drivers loose with smartphones and iPods inside cars. One dissatisfier among car-buyers – at least if they think about it – is how much better free cloud-based voice recognition is (such as what Google provides on smartphones) is compared to on-board voice recognition that comes in a car for $395 to $2,000 extra, often as part of a navigation package. As part of the announcement at the Ford Futuring and Trends Conference this week in Dearborn, Mich., Ford said it’s working with Nuance to increase the quality of voice recognition. MyFord Touch extends Sync with a touchscreen panel and sub-$1,000 navigation, which is cheap for in-car navi even if it’s outrageous compared to Garmin and Tom-Tom price points. At its core, Sync provides a USB jack for almost any music player or USB key Bluetooth and Nuance-based voice control. The first Sync-enabled apps include the Pandora music service (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry), Stitcher podcast and news streamer (iPhone now, Android this summer), and the OpenBeak Twitter app (BlackBerry).įord Sync is a $395 option on low-end trim lines and standard on higher-end trim lines. At the same time, Ford is quadrupling the number of engineers working on Sync and AppLink, and there are apparently 2,500 third-party developers working on AppLink apps. Doug VanDagens, director of Ford Connected Services Solutions, said Ford will get AppLink into all Fords and Lincolns over the next couple of model years. As of the 2012 model year, AppLink will be on the 2012 Ford Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Fiesta, Mustang, Shelby GT500 (cars) F-150, F-150 SVT Raptor, Super Duty (pickups) Expedition (SUV) and E-Series (van). And yes, he appears to be serious about that.įord unveiled AppLink a year ago in the Ford Fiesta, its subcompact model. ![]() Critics say Sync adds complexity to cars, and the current Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, says anything trickier than a cassette player and cigarette lighter should be banned from cars. AppLink lets drivers control smartphone functions and applications through the Sync infotainment module, either by voice command or a touchscreen panel. Terms of use.įord is adding Sync AppLink to ten 2012 models, extending the usefulness of smartphones in Fords. The emulation software comes ahead of Ford's Sync AppLink Developer Conference, scheduled during the CTIA Super Mobility 2016 conference in Las Vegas this September.This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. These settings will let developers test apps that rely on driving data points. A developer can plug a smartphone into the computer's USB port and see how her app will look and work.įord also notes that developers will be able to set the simulated vehicle's speed, location, temperature and mileage in the emulator. The emulation software replicates the Sync 3 dashboard interface on a desktop computer. With Sync 3, supported apps running on an attached smartphone become accessible on the car's touchscreen, using a common interface designed to reduce driver distraction. Sync 3 employed a number of improvements over previous generations, including a visual version of AppLink, its app integration software. In addition, Apple and Google have each released integration software for iOS and Android, called Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, that are being adopted by many automakers.įord released Sync 3, the third generation of its infotainment software, last year. Some involve a dedicated data connection in the car, with software services programmed into the dashboard infotainment system, while others integrate driver smartphones with the infotainment system. The Ford Sync 3 AppLink Emulator will be available as a free download from the Ford Developer Program website.Īutomakers have deployed a number of schemes to create a connected experience in the dashboard, similar to what drivers are used to on their smartphones. The tool, called the Ford Sync 3 AppLink Emulator, helps developers build or convert their smartphone apps for integration in Ford vehicles equipped with the Sync 3 infotainment system. Ford announced the release of a new software tool that will let developers see how their apps work in a Ford vehicle from a desktop computer.
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