Motor Authority - blog Tag: Sync

Ford is enhancing the capabilities of its vehicles by introducing exclusive new SYNC features that add traffic, directions and information (TDI) in a simple download found on the company’s www.syncmyride.com website. The latest application ties together the advantages of navigation and connectivity technologies and brings in even more options.

Sync TDI can control a customer’s existing mobile phone, includes an integrated GPS receiver to connect customers to real-time turn-by-turn driving directions, traffic reports and business searches, offers extra features and applications such as favorite news, sports and weather, and... Ford is enhancing the capabilities of its vehicles by introducing exclusive new SYNC features that add traffic, directions and information (TDI) in a simple download found on the company’s www.syncmyride.com website. The latest application ties together the advantages of navigation and connectivity technologies and brings in even more options. Sync TDI can control a customer’s existing mobile phone, includes an integrated GPS receiver to connect customers to real-time turn-by-turn driving directions, traffic reports and business searches, offers extra features and applications such as favorite news, sports and weather, and provides seamless voice-control of all these functions while in the vehicle – at no subscription cost for the first three years of vehicle ownership. To operate the system, all the driver needs to do is state the voice command “services”. Stating “traffic” will then send a text message to the driver’s phone with information such as location and severity of accidents or new road construction causing areas of heavy congestion. This message is then broadcast over the vehicle’s audio system. If a user states “directions,” a turn-by-turn route for a desired journey is downloaded and is spoken to the user over the vehicle’s audio system and displayed on the central information display near the radio. The latest system also enables drivers to personalize and categorize their favorite media topics, such as sports, weather and news using voice commands or through the Sync website. When available as an option, Sync retails for $395, and includes a GPS receiver new for the 2010 model year. Read More

Cars playing music and movies with touch-based interfaces isn't news - but doing it the way Volkswagen is with its new Global Open Infotainment Architecture System (GLORIA) is definitely something different. It's being developed by VW's Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL), and it features some truly interesting ideas.

Taking on the likes of Microsoft's Automotive platform, which has spawned Ford's Sync and Fiat's Blue & Me systems, the GLORIA project aims to integrate consumer electronics with the in-car system in a completely modular and upgradeable way.

Based around Intel architecture processors, including the netbook-favorite Atom,... Cars playing music and movies with touch-based interfaces isn't news - but doing it the way Volkswagen is with its new Global Open Infotainment Architecture System (GLORIA) is definitely something different. It's being developed by VW's Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL), and it features some truly interesting ideas. Taking on the likes of Microsoft's Automotive platform, which has spawned Ford's Sync and Fiat's Blue & Me systems, the GLORIA project aims to integrate consumer electronics with the in-car system in a completely modular and upgradeable way. Based around Intel architecture processors, including the netbook-favorite Atom, the system can store digital music, handle full 3D navigation (pictured), view photos and videos, plus all the standards like Bluetooth and USB. The lab car has an always-on internet connection and WiFi capability as well. The coolest feature, however, is the gesture-based touchscreen interface, which allows the driver to control the system with swipes across the screen, eliminating the need to look down to find a button or press a specific region of the screen. So far, the GLORIA system is just a prototype testbed, but with all of this in the works, it's only a matter of time before some of these advanced features begin to make their way into production vehicles. The ERL was also responsible for building VW's entry into the 2007 DARPA unmanned vehicle contest, a vehicle developed further with Stanford University and which has now become the 'Junior' project. For more on the GLORIA system, check out the video below.Volkswagen shows off GLORIA advanced infotainment system Read More

The age of MP3 players is fully upon the automotive industry, and consumers now expect - even demand - such connectivity in even the most basic of vehicles. But getting more than basic input-output functionality for the more complex devices on the market isn't quite so easy.

The Apple iPod has widespread support - though its cellular doppelganger, the iPhone doesn't, much to the chagrin of owners. To date, full support for the competing offering from Microsoft, the Zune, has been almost completely absent from any car. But now General Motors has begun a 28-model roll out of full Zune support, starting with the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro.

A... The age of MP3 players is fully upon the automotive industry, and consumers now expect - even demand - such connectivity in even the most basic of vehicles. But getting more than basic input-output functionality for the more complex devices on the market isn't quite so easy. The Apple iPod has widespread support - though its cellular doppelganger, the iPhone doesn't, much to the chagrin of owners. To date, full support for the competing offering from Microsoft, the Zune, has been almost completely absent from any car. But now General Motors has begun a 28-model roll out of full Zune support, starting with the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. A Microsoft employee, Dave McLauchlan, put the new system to the test in a production Camaro in a Chevy dealership yesterday, and sent his results, complete with photos, to blogger, muscle car enthusiast and Zune fan Michael Ganotti. According to an email McLauchlan sent Ganotti, "Zune connectivity is a standard feature on the Camaro which is the first of some 28 models to support Zune as this feature is rolled out across GM models in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia through 2011." It will be interesting to see this feature expand through GM's ever-shrinking lineup, and to see if Apple makes any counter-strokes to help boost compatibility with its devices, especially as launch of the third-gen iPhone draws near this summer. Via: Engadget Read More

Jim Morrisson sang what may have been the best driving advice in rock and roll history in the quintessential "Roadhouse Blues": Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel. While that advice may have been aimed at keeping a half-potted rocker between the lines, it's equally apposite in daily life. Ford today revealed a study backing up that assertion with evidence that voice-command systems reduce driver distraction.

Things as simple as having the car's computer read an incoming text-message rather than the driver reading it can have a huge impact, according to the study. The time a driver's eyes spend off the road to read a... Jim Morrisson sang what may have been the best driving advice in rock and roll history in the quintessential "Roadhouse Blues": Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel. While that advice may have been aimed at keeping a half-potted rocker between the lines, it's equally apposite in daily life. Ford today revealed a study backing up that assertion with evidence that voice-command systems reduce driver distraction. Things as simple as having the car's computer read an incoming text-message rather than the driver reading it can have a huge impact, according to the study. The time a driver's eyes spend off the road to read a text message on a hand-held phone: 11 seconds. Listening to the same text message requires just 2 seconds of inattention. Today's in-depth navigation and entertainment systems add a lot of value to the in-car experience. But in many cases the level of complexity has risen so high that they are actually a detriment to safety, as drivers focus on navigating context menus rather than the city traffic that surrounds them. To make things safer, companies began introducing voice command systems, but until recently such systems have been inconvenient and laborious to use, thanks to fixed commands and limited functionality. With the advent of more advanced speech recognition software and more integrated applications, such as Ford's SYNC, Mercedes-Benz's COMAND or Lexus' new Enform, the intent is to keep the driver's eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and concentration focused. "Our SYNC research backs up what most of us instinctively know -- that it is better while driving to place a call using a voice interface than dialing manually, because you can keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road," says Susan Cischke, Ford's group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. Ford's data shows that drivers meandered over lane boundaries in at least 30% of cases where hand-held devises were used, as opposed to 0% when using SYNC voice commands to do the same things. "These real-world results indicate that SYNC's voice-interface offers substantial advantages compared to using a hand-held device to do the same task," says Dr. Louis Tijerina, Ford senior technical specialist. As self-serving as the study may seem, the findings coincide with a Virginia Tech and U.S. DOT study that involved 109 drivers and 42,300 hours on the road - over 2 million miles behind the wheel. The study found that using a hand-held device as 2.8 times more dangerous than normal driving, but that holding a conversation on the road was no more dangerous. The findings are good news for SYNC buyers, or for buyers of cars with similar systems. It's also a testament to the double-edge nature of technological progress: some advances bring greater safety, while others bring greater risks. Another example of technology being used to rein in other technology include the DriveAssist phone service, which keeps drivers from texting at the wheel. Read More

After first showing the MKT in concept form at last year’s Detroit Auto Show, Lincoln unveiled the 2010 production model of the striking crossover at this year’s event. The three-row MKT is larger than the current two-row MKX crossover and joins the recently revealed MKZ sedan as part of Lincoln’s refreshed 2010 lineup.

Priced to start at $44,995, the MKT is clearly positioned at the mid-level luxury segment, especially once one moves up to the more powerful EcoBoost engine and AWD drivetrain, which starts at $49,995. An 'Elite Package' is available for an additional $5,000, which includes adaptive cruise control, ... After first showing the MKT in concept form at last year’s Detroit Auto Show, Lincoln unveiled the 2010 production model of the striking crossover at this year’s event. The three-row MKT is larger than the current two-row MKX crossover and joins the recently revealed MKZ sedan as part of Lincoln’s refreshed 2010 lineup. Priced to start at $44,995, the MKT is clearly positioned at the mid-level luxury segment, especially once one moves up to the more powerful EcoBoost engine and AWD drivetrain, which starts at $49,995. An 'Elite Package' is available for an additional $5,000, which includes adaptive cruise control, collision warning with brake support, blind spot information system, cross traffic alert, voice-activated navigation and a power-opening panoramic sunroof. Showcasing the latest iteration of Lincoln’s new design language, the MKT features a split waterfall grille, a beveled chamfer along its shoulder line, a flowing cantrail that frames the windows and full-width horizontal taillamps spanning the liftgate. Inside, there are leather-trimmed seats, floating armrests, and an optional flow-through second-row center console and LED-detailed instrument cluster. Some of the options customers will be able to choose from include a fixed glass panoramic roof, or an available power adjustable version, either six or seven-passenger variations with two different second-row seating configurations, a standard 60/40 split folding rear bench seat features heated outboard seating positions, and a rear console-mounted refrigerator. Two different powertrains will be available to MKT buyers - a 3.7L Duratec petrol V6 with 268hp (200kW) and 267lb-ft (362Nm) of torque, or the new 3.5L EcoBoost petrol V6 with 355hp (265kW) at 5,700rpm and 350ft-lb (474Nm) of torque. Drive is sent to the wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission, and drivers will be able to shift gears manual using a pair of paddle-shifters located behind the steering wheel. AWD is optional on the 3.7L model and standard on EcoBoost models. Engineers focused on reaching a high level of comfort for the MKT, adding a new rear suspension system with a “one for one” shock absorber ratio. This improves rear suspension isolation and enables the use of 20in wheels. Advanced technologies include the recently revealed Active Park Assist for automatic parallel parking, electronic power steering, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and engine start functionality, adaptive headlamps with standard HID globes, rain-sensing wipers, and Lincoln’s SecuriCode keypad entry system. Other safety features include Ford’s new MyKey controller, Blind Spot Information System, Cross Traffic Alert, and a reversing camera. Additionally, the MKT is also fitted as standard with Ford’s latest-generation SYNC connectivity system, which comes with 911 Assist and full control for the vehicle’s 10-speaker stereo system. The Lincoln MKT will be built at Ford’s Oakville assembly plant in Ontario, Canada, and will be in North American dealer showrooms by the middle of the year.2010 Lincoln MKT crossover Read More

Ford has given us a preview of its future in-car connectivity technology with the unveiling today of the Lincoln C concept at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. The new concept features a sophisticated human machine interface (HMI) and a number of connectivity technologies that are expected to filter across Ford’s lineup in the coming years.

The key to the new interface is to enable information to be offered in a simple, intelligent format that keeps a driver informed – but not distracted. This is done with a simplistic approach to how and where information is displayed.

All car-related information, for example, appears to the left... Ford has given us a preview of its future in-car connectivity technology with the unveiling today of the Lincoln C concept at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. The new concept features a sophisticated human machine interface (HMI) and a number of connectivity technologies that are expected to filter across Ford’s lineup in the coming years. The key to the new interface is to enable information to be offered in a simple, intelligent format that keeps a driver informed – but not distracted. This is done with a simplistic approach to how and where information is displayed. All car-related information, for example, appears to the left of the speedometer, including fuel economy, trip information and vehicle diagnostics. Passenger-related functions, such as audio, climate, navigation and phone, appear to the right of the instrument cluster. At the driver’s control are steering wheel switches, touch screens and voice-activation software. Some of the connectivity features include the latest in terms of SYNC-enabled technologies, providing hands-free, voice-activated cell phone, text messaging, and digital media player integration as well as security and personalized convenience features such as 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Reports. In addition, the in-vehicle communications system is expanded to include a plug-and-play network that can use a Bluetooth-enabled phone to access Internet-based services such as traffic reports, turn-by-turn navigation, a 14-million-plus business directory listing, weather forecasts, the latest sports scores and more. Also featured is an in-car companion. This is essentially a computer-generated personality, in this case nicknamed ‘EVA’, who responds to conversational speech and manages and initiates all vehicle and SYNC-enabled functions and information to the driver. EVA can even sense a driver’s mood through voice and drive style and respond appropriately with, for example, a favorite song suggestion from a SYNC-connected MP3 music library. This unique system on the Lincoln C concept also offers in-car Internet access, allowing EVA to surf the web for the driver and read the morning’s online news headlines or latest restaurant reviews, check e-mail, or access a friend’s Facebook page. The system will even advise the driver when and where to refuel based on fuel level, driving habits, fuel station locations and current prices.2009 Lincoln C conceptFord previews next-generation SYNC Read More