Ford Adds Android Auto And CarPlay To All 2017 Vehicles Equipped With SYNC 3
Long gone are the days when a tape deck and digital display constituted a fancy in-car stereo system. In today's connected world, dashboard entertainment is becoming ever more sophisticated and convenient, a fact that's highlighted by Ford expanding its SYNC connectivity system to include support for Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, 4G LTE, and several new AppLink apps.
In North America, each and every 2017 Ford vehicle equipped with SYNC 3 is getting support for CarPlay and Android Auto, starting with the new Ford Escape. Support will also come for owners of 2016 model Ford cars equipped with SYNC 3, though the opportunity to upgrade will arrive sometime "later in the year," Ford says.
"SYNC allows customers to bring the smartphone technology they’re comfortable with into a vehicle and use it without hassle," said Don Butler, Ford executive director, Connected Vehicle and Services. "With SYNC, we move at our customers’ pace – making it easy for them to maintain a connected lifestyle no matter their choice of smartphone, apps or services inside and outside their vehicle."
CarPlay (compatible with iPhone 5 and later models) and Android Auto (compatible with Android 5.0 and higher gadgets) offer similar conveniences. iPhone owners can bark commands at Siri, access Maps, and fling messages, to name a few of the functions, while Android Auto gives access to Google voice search, Google Maps, and so forth.
Ford has over 15 million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road. The automaker expects that number to nearly triple to 43 million by 2020. It's the most prominent in-vehicle entertainment and communication system today, and it looks to stay that way at least for the next several years.
In North America, each and every 2017 Ford vehicle equipped with SYNC 3 is getting support for CarPlay and Android Auto, starting with the new Ford Escape. Support will also come for owners of 2016 model Ford cars equipped with SYNC 3, though the opportunity to upgrade will arrive sometime "later in the year," Ford says.
"SYNC allows customers to bring the smartphone technology they’re comfortable with into a vehicle and use it without hassle," said Don Butler, Ford executive director, Connected Vehicle and Services. "With SYNC, we move at our customers’ pace – making it easy for them to maintain a connected lifestyle no matter their choice of smartphone, apps or services inside and outside their vehicle."
CarPlay (compatible with iPhone 5 and later models) and Android Auto (compatible with Android 5.0 and higher gadgets) offer similar conveniences. iPhone owners can bark commands at Siri, access Maps, and fling messages, to name a few of the functions, while Android Auto gives access to Google voice search, Google Maps, and so forth.
Ford has over 15 million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road. The automaker expects that number to nearly triple to 43 million by 2020. It's the most prominent in-vehicle entertainment and communication system today, and it looks to stay that way at least for the next several years.
