Friday, January 9, 2009

AWARD-WINNING FORD SYNC COMMUNICATIONS AND ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM COMES TO EUROPE IN 2010

Ford has announced that its award-winning Ford SYNC communications and entertainment system, developed by the company in collaboration with Microsoft, will be launched progressively into its European product range, starting in 2010.

The plan was confirmed by Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company President and CEO during his keynote speech this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

“We’re a car company, but we’re learning to think like an electronics company when it comes to bringing fresh, new and innovative technologies and products to market,” said Mulally. “With products like Ford SYNC, we are beginning to provide our customers a higher level of connectivity as well as personalization.”

Ford SYNC is an exclusive, factory-installed and fully-integrated in-car communications and entertainment system which was launched first on North American Ford cars in 2007. By the autumn of 2009, over one million Ford SYNC-equipped cars will be on the road as the next-generation system readies for launch globally in 2010.

Starting in 2010, Ford customers in Europe will be able to experience Ford SYNC, as Ford engineers tailor the technology specifically to meet European market requirements and customer needs. Ford SYNC will be introduced progressively across the company's European passenger car portfolio from 2010. Further details of the specific features to be offered and availability by model range will be announced closer to launch.

Advanced Software Platform

Ford SYNC is based around the advanced Microsoft Auto software platform and uses industry-leading voice-recognition software and Bluetooth technology to give customers comprehensive new levels of connectivity and flexibility when operating digital media players and mobile telephones, playing music from USB memory devices, and operating other vehicle functions.

For European customers, the system will offer enhanced functionality via steering-wheel mounted controls or voice control in seven Western European and two Eastern European languages.

The first generation of Ford SYNC fitted to cars in North America has won customer and critical acclaim, but also received a number of prestigious awards, including 'Best New Technology' award from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, and a 'Breakthrough Award' from Popular Mechanics personal technology magazine.

A New Era of Connectivity

Ford SYNC will build on Ford of Europe's existing and affordable range of connectivity packages already available in its latest models like the new Fiesta. Technologies already available include Bluetooth and voice control, plus sockets for connecting portable media players.Many models now offer a USB connection option for enhanced control of portable music players.

With Ford SYNC, the company is partnering with Microsoft and other technology companies to enable the new system to connect to real-time data.

“Our goal is to lead the industry into a new era of in-vehicle connectivity,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group Vice President of Global Product Development. “Using a Ford SYNC platform that is even more capable than before, we are taking ideas from technology companies and bringing them into our cars.

"These companies are the experts when it comes to developing new electronics, technologies and applications, and we are the experts in developing a platform with a plug-and-play architecture that accepts their technologies. The power of the partnership really knows no bounds.

“We have an open system that accepts hardware and software products and applications,” Kuzak said. “We are striving to deliver technologies and applications to customers with a speed, scale and affordability that no other car manufacturer can touch.”

“We already offer a comprehensive connectivity programme in our European model range but we're looking to the future with the arrival here of the Ford SYNC system from 2010,” said John Fleming, Chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe. “We believe it will deliver a whole new experience for customers who desire the same levels of connectivity in their cars that they have in their homes.”

No comments: