Ford SYNC Expanding With 4G LTE, Apple CarPlay, And More

Yesterday, Ford Motor Company announced a slew of new changes inbound for the Ford SYNC infotainment system, encompassing everything from the availability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, to a number of apps which will be able to take advantage of newly-available vehicle information like GPS location and mileage.

This is on top of the new Ford SYNC Connect system announced at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, which will add 4G LTE connectivity to the 2017 Ford Escape, and other future, SYNC-equipped models.

Some early adopters of the new Ford SYNC data include:

• The AAA (the American Automobile Association) and CAA (Canadian Automobile Association), whose app allows members to find gas stations and plan routes.
• Concur, which is an app that can log the mileage of business trips automatically.
• Eventseeker – an app which can locate nearby events such as concerts based on an interest profile and vehicle location data.
• Cityseeker – an app much like Eventseeker, but which finds local attractions, nightlife venues, restaurants, and the like.
• Tencent Chelian, which is an app that allows users access to China’s most popular social media platform: QQ. It also provides messaging, music, and real-time traffic info.

Meanwhile, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will become available for all 2017 and later vehicles equipped with Ford SYNC 3, allowing for easy, seamless integration of one’s Apple iOS- or Android-powered smartphone with the Ford SYNC infotainment system through USB. Owners of 2016 model year vehicles with SYNC 3 will be able to upgrade to add the same functionality later in the year.

Ford Executive Director of Connected Vehicle and Services Don Butler said in a release: “SYNC allows customers to bring the smartphone technology they’re comfortable with into a vehicle and use it without hassle. 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.”