Ford Launching CarPlay and Android Auto in 2017 Vehicles With SYNC 3

[MacRumors]

Ford has announced it is adding CarPlay and Android Auto to all 2017 vehicles in North America equipped with BlackBerry's QNX-based SYNC 3 platform, starting with the new Ford Escape. CarPlay and Android Auto will also be available in 2016 vehicles with SYNC 3 as an upgrade later this year.

Ford is also adding new SYNC AppLink apps for AAA/CAA member services, Concur expense report tracking, Eventseeker for nearby events and Cityseeker for nearby restaurants. New 4G LTE SYNC Connect technology will allow drivers to remote start, unlock doors, check fuel levels or locate a parked vehicle via their smartphone.

In December, Ford retroactively added Siri Eyes Free support to 5 million 2011-2016 vehicles through a SYNC 3.8 software update. The U.S. says more than 15 million SYNC-equipped vehicles are on the road worldwide today, although that figure likely includes older SYNC platforms incompatible with CarPlay and Android Auto.

Ford has been added to our list of 2016 U.S. CarPlay vehicles and CarPlay roundup.

Article Link: Ford Launching CarPlay and Android Auto in 2017 Vehicles With SYNC 3

 

[Sethal]

You're up, Fiat Chrysler.

 

[Vanilla35]

Do we have to think about whether our car UI will get choppy if we upgrade from Carplay V1 to Carplay V2?

 

[SuperHamster]

...will allow drivers to remote start, unlock doors...

Pathetic. Obviously, we demand to DRIVE the car remotely. Apart from all the truly useful stuff we can do with a remotely-operated car, how are we otherwise supposed to drive over the bad'uns from the back seat?

 

[Frosties]

Picture say more than words. Carplay and other iPad styled controls in a car is very pretty design but not functional due to no tactile feel. But it will not stop the avalanche, my next car will have it. I just hope the steering wheel and voice controls in all languages will keep up in the development cycle.

 

[err404]

Great news. I really like the current Ford lineup, and this was holding me back.

 

[rdlink]

Picture say more than words. Carplay and other iPad styled controls in a car is very pretty design but not functional due to no tactile feel. But it will not stop the avalanche, my next car will have it. I just hope the steering wheel and voice controls in all languages will keep up in the development cycle.

Sounds like you've obviously never used it, as I find it extremely functional. What, exactly is the "tactile" feel you require from a system that allows you to control it with your voice?

 

[grayskies]

Great news. I really like the current Ford lineup, and this was holding me back.

I like the lineup also. I wouldn't say it would definitely hold me back from purchase, but it is a strong factor.

I use the apple map app, not perfect but helps me find my way. I think it would be great to have that on the in-dash display.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Car makers are in a tough position. If they don't add it they'll lose potential buyers—if they do it shows that people want and in most case prefer Google's or Apple's solution. The computer companies going forward over the next 10 years are in a super position to take a huge chunk of the car industry.

 

[azentropy]

Car makers are in a tough position. If they don't add it they'll lose potential buyers are if they do it shows that people want and in most case prefer Google's and Apple's solution. The computer companies going forward over the next 10 years are in a super position to take a huge chunk of the car industry.

Yep, I'll be in the market for a new vehicle mid next year and the only car I'll consider that doesn't have CarPlay is a Tesla (and that is a long shot now since the model III won't be ready then and the X is still going to be out of my price range). I love driving my BMWs, but don't think I want to put up with that horrible info/nav system again.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Do we have to think about whether our car UI will get choppy if we upgrade from Carplay V1 to Carplay V2?

CarPlay is an app, I'd imagine performance will only get better for the time being.

 

[rdlink]

Car makers are in a tough position. If they don't add it they'll lose potential buyers are if they do it shows that people want and in most case prefer Google's and Apple's solution. The computer companies going forward over the next 10 years are in a super position to take a huge chunk of the car industry.

So, in other words car companies will have to actually work on their core competencies, such as drivability, quality, performance, efficiency, etc., instead of trying to greatly overcharge for ham-handed, buggy, fragmented, poorly designed infotainment systems that they've been pushing on their customers over the decades.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Picture say more than words. Carplay and other iPad styled controls in a car is very pretty design but not functional due to no tactile feel. But it will not stop the avalanche, my next car will have it. I just hope the steering wheel and voice controls in all languages will keep up in the development cycle.

Then you've missed the point of CarPlay completely - Siri. You're meant to interact with CarPlay almost completely with voice controls...and my current car has a 9" touch screen with virtually no other controls at all, can't tell you how much more efficient that is vs. having to figure out what 50 little buttons with labels made up of nothing more than a single character.

 

[Iconoclysm]

So, in other words car companies will have to actually work on their core competencies, such as drivability, quality, performance, efficiency, etc., instead of trying to greatly overcharge for ham-handed, buggy, fragmented, poorly designed infotainment systems that they've been pushing on their customers over the decades.

Oh, this won't stop them. Installing the CarPlay "app" in my Volvo XC90 was $385+$135 labor...can't imagine how they're going to try and make me pay again once Android Auto is ready later this year. Wait, yes I can.

 

[jlc1978]

So, in other words car companies will have to actually work on their core competencies, such as drivability, quality, performance, efficiency, etc., instead of trying to greatly overcharge for ham-handed, buggy, fragmented, poorly designed infotainment systems that they've been pushing on their customers over the decades.

Naw, they're just outsourcing the design of ham-handed, buggy, fragmented, poorly designed infotainment systems so they can overcharge without having to screw up the design themselves.

 

[jlc1978]

So, in other words car companies will have to actually work on their core competencies, such as drivability, quality, performance, efficiency, etc., instead of trying to greatly overcharge for ham-handed, buggy, fragmented, poorly designed infotainment systems that they've been pushing on their customers over the decades.

Naw, they're just outsourcing the design of ham-handed, buggy, fragmented, poorly designed infotainment systems so they can overcharge without having to screw up the design themselves.

I am wondering how they will secure the system's remote access; probably with a hardcoded default password to allow for easy OTA updates.

 

[cardfan]

I'm happy enough with proclip mounted iphone til this stuff improves. Carplay looks limited.

 

[Glideslope]

Do we have to think about whether our car UI will get choppy if we upgrade from Carplay V1 to Carplay V2?

Perhaps. But seriously, anything is better than Microsoft Sync.

 

[wood1208]

Phone integration with Auto is must and will get their. May not be soon enough for many like me who want to buy new auto but holding out for most important feature, deep phone connectivity with auto console.. Manufacturers like Ford,GM, Honda etc are front runner while Toyota and few others are waiting for God's signal or till to see their market share erode by those who do support some form of phone connectivity. People buy and keep car decade or more. So I would not buy any new vehicle unless it has tighter CarPlay/Android integration to a point where simple functions like Map,Music,Call/text, Calendar/Appointment,door lock/unlock/status works flawlessly. Moreover, one should also be able to turn on/off phone-to-auto features selectively so if driver wants phone map to work with auto console but same time don't want phone music or receive incoming text/phone on console because of other passengers in car than that should work accordingly.. The day you tell "Siri" to selectively turn on/off features on phone that connects/maps into auto console, that will be nirvana to phone-auto marriage.

 

[scapegoat81]

Great. I just bought a '15 F-150

 

[reevans]

Gee, Ford and the rest of the idiotic car manufacturers are going to install 6 different OS standards with none of them functioning fully. Microsoft Sync and QNX Link and Tizen Stink and Android Junk and Apple CarPlay and another player to be named.

I got stuck with Microsoft on my new car and I hate it.

 

[MLMcMillion]

Do we have to think about whether our car UI will get choppy if we upgrade from Carplay V1 to Carplay V2?

What do you mean GET choppy?

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Great. I just bought a '15 F-150

Did you ignore the part about older 2015 vehicles getting a software upgrade to add support?

 

[rdlink]

I seem to remember them saying just a few weeks ago that they would bring CarPlay to all of the 3.x Sync devices. That would include my girlfriend's 2014 Escape. I hope that ends up being true, because the Sync system itself is a hot, sticky mess.

 

[scapegoat81]

Did you ignore the part about older 2015 vehicles getting a software upgrade to add support?

Well damn. I guess I did. Disregard ! Lol