Ford will begin launching its new SYNC 3 technology in the 2016 Ford Escape and Fiesta in the US. According to Ford, the new communications and entertainment system is faster and easier to use with enhanced response to driver commands.
“SYNC always has been about providing a safer way for our customers to connect their smartphones in order to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel,” said Mark LaNeve, Ford Motor Company vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Customers continue to tell us they want this technology, and they want it to be fast and easy to use – like a smartphone. SYNC 3 delivers on that request.”
SYNC 3 features all-new hardware and software, as a result, SYNC 3’s has simpler command structure which makes selecting music, making a call or searching for a destination is easier than ever.
Previously, many users find the MyFord Touch has a slow response-time issue. SYNC 3 ditches the Microsoft-sourced software that powered MyFord Touch. Instead, Ford uses the Blackberry-owned QNX system.
SYNC 3 has quicker response to touch, as well as voice commands and smartphone-like gestures including pinch-to-zoom and swipe are central to SYNC 3 – along with crisp, modern graphics.
On-screen complexity is reduced and control options used most are prioritized. The home screen features three zones – Navigation, Audio and Phone. Tile-like icons dominate, with a quick access function tray along the bottom making for a more straightforward user experience.
Phone contacts are searchable via a simple swipe of the finger to scroll through the alphabet. With One Box Search, users can look up points of interest or enter addresses in much the same way they use an Internet search engine.
As with earlier generations of the technology, SYNC 3 provides subscription-free emergency service 911 Assist.
The customer’s Bluetooth-connected phone is used to dial 911 in the event of a significant accident – alerting first responders with vehicle location. With SYNC 3, the car relays additional information – including if airbags deploy, whether the crash is front, side, rear or rollover, and the number of safety belts detected in use – to help emergency call-takers dispatch appropriate resources to the scene.
SYNC 3 now also features the ability to update software via Wi-Fi. Once a vehicle is set up with credentials for a home Wi-Fi network accessible in a customer’s driveway or parking lot, it can automatically download updates.
Watch the video below to see how the SYNC 3 works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=10&v=EVdnbUEupW8
