PORTLAND, Ore. — March 20, 2012 — On a quintessentially cold, wet day in Portland’s Pioneer Square March 13–14, members of the press had their first chance to drive the 2013 models of the Ford Flex and Ford Taurus, both featuring SYNC, powered by Microsoft, with the MyFord Touch Performance Upgrade. The company also rolled out the 2013 Ford Mustang equipped with SYNC AppLink, a factory-installed feature that gives SYNC users voice control of apps stored on their smartphones.
During a presentation, Ford representatives noted recent findings from research firm J.D. Power and Associates that “advanced technology” is among the 10 most critical factors for new-vehicle buyers in choosing a new car. In response to customer feedback, Ford worked with the Windows Embedded Automotive team to improve the SYNC with MyFord Touch experience for drivers and passengers.
SYNC with My Ford Touch
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2013 Ford Flex
Customers list SYNC with MyFord Touch as among the most important reasons for purchasing Ford vehicles. The auto maker worked with Microsoft to make its infotainment system faster, simpler and better than before. Ford is installing the refreshed MyFord Touch experience in 2013 models such as Ford Flex. Members of the press took a test drive March 13–14, 2012, in Portland, Ore.
2013 Ford Taurus SHO
On hand were the 2013 Ford Taurus and 2013 Ford Taurus SHO, also featuring SYNC with MyFord Touch. In addition to an 8–inch, color-coded touch screen on the center console, the instrument cluster includes two LCD screens that can be personalized to display information relevant to each driver, allowing drivers to stay focused on the road in front of them.
2013 Ford Mustang With SYNC AppLink
Customers can use SYNC AppLink, which is a factory-installed feature on the 2013 Ford Mustang. AppLink is the free software program that gives SYNC users control of apps stored on their smartphone with voice commands and buttons on their steering wheel.
SYNC Services
SYNC Services harnesses the power of Microsoft Tellme speech technology, enabling drivers to get the latest news, sport scores, weather and much more using one of more than 10,000 voice commands, such as "five-day weather forecast."
411 Business Search … and More
SYNC Services subscription services provide access to an enormous amount of information that lives on Windows Azure. For example, 411 Business Search has more than 14 million business listings and can provide audible, turn-by-turn directions. For those who prefer maps, the Performance Upgrade includes improved graphics for navigation features powered by Telenav.
Voice-Activated Music Search
SYNC provides a range of options for connecting devices: SD cards, a USB flash-drive, Bluetooth — even RCA plugs. Once connected, drivers or passengers can use voice commands to find and play what they’re looking for. Microsoft tests more than 200 devices per year to ensure that the latest phone and media player models work with even the oldest version of SYNC.
MyFord Touch Performance Upgrade
Harnessing the power of the Windows Embedded Automotive platform, SYNC creates an “upgradable car” that allows new features and improvements to be integrated by the vehicle owner themselves or by a quick trip to their local dealer. The March 5 refresh included visual improvements such as larger fonts and buttons, which are designed to make the touch screen easier to use and understand.
The goal of the upgrade was to provide an infotainment system that is more responsive and easier to use, delivering further on the original intent of SYNC with MyFord Touch: To keep drivers’ hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, while not sacrificing their ability to access content on their infotainment systems, smartphones or other mobile devices. Among the improvements were reducing the number of buttons on the touch screen and increasing the size of buttons and fonts so screens are easier to understand and navigate.
SYNC and MyFord Touch are a result of joint development between Ford and Microsoft that started in 2007. For more than a decade Microsoft has worked with automobile manufacturers and after-market suppliers to develop infotainment systems powered by Windows Embedded Automotive.