Ford's SYNC has become one of the most popular features on Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles. It runs off the the Microsoft Auto program and for the more technical readers it an ARM 11 processor that has 256MB of DRAM and 2GB of flash memory. The system has a multitude of features that range from Bluetooth connectivity to 911 Emergency, to turn-by-turn navigation. The next generation of this software promises to be full of new features and even better connectivity and user friendliness.
One of these features that I am most excited for is the ability to turn your SYNC powered car into a mobil WiFi hotspot. This will be accomplished by using a USB "air card" from a driver's personal mobile broadband provider (i.e. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T) to create a signal within the car. This will allow anyone sitting in the vehicle to use their laptop, or any other WiFi capable device at their leisure. This has been done before and seen in other vehicles, but I believe that the integration with SYNC will allow it to become more streamlined as well as offering better signal strength. I know there have been many times I have desperately needed the internet and either had to buy a coffee or food to simply find a location on a trip. Features like this should make many people's lives easier by keeping them constantly in reach of the information they want.
Another new feature that sounds promising to me is the new song tagging feature, which will be coupled with the newest trend of HD Radio. Ford offers Sirius Satellite radio and when you hear a song that you like and would like to have for your personal collection you can save it. This is done by hitting the info button on the steering wheel and the song name, and artist is stored in the car's memory. When you are ready to leave the car or at any other time you can recall the song name and artist from memory to download from whichever music provider you wish to use. This will be helpful for not just the automotive market, but will also keep fewer songs from being lost to people because they don't recognize the artist or the genre.
In comparison with General Motors OnStar Ford's SYNC is not even in the same league. To begin with the OnStar system is subscription based (you pay a yearly upgrade fee) and it is also only a partnership company with GM. SYNC on the other hand is a one time payment and during the warranty period of the vehicle you will receive software updates. With an optional LCD touch screen the user interface is easily much better and more user friendly than the respective OnStar interface. In terms of more bang for your buck I would much rather have SYNC in my car which offers a built in processor and full integration with my car. It also rids me of those distracting buttons on the rear view mirror!
These are just a few of the features of SYNC and I could write on and on about each one of their merits but I think you would want to stop reading after awhile. SYNC is an excellent system and when I sit in a Ford vehicle it feels as if I am sitting in front of a familiar PC system. Continued innovation has kept the system competitive and even as they try to fit more features in Ford is still concerned with driver safety. At the same time technology has really helped to lessen the stress of everyday driving. If you would like to know more check out Ford Motor Company's website.
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