Ford Sync (stylish Ford SYNC ) is an in-vehicle integrated communication and entertainment system that allows users to make hands-free phone calls, control music and perform other functions with the use of voice commands. This system consists of applications and user interfaces developed by Ford and other third-party developers. The first two generations (Ford Sync and MyFord Touch) run on Windows Embedded Automotive operating systems designed by Microsoft, while the third generation (Sync 3) currently runs on the QNX operating system from BlackBerry Limited.
Ford first announced the launch of SYNC in January 2007 at the Detroit International Auto Show. SYNC was released to the retail market in 2007 when Ford installed the technology in twelve Ford vehicle groups (2008 models) in North America.
Video Ford Sync
Overview
Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates announced a SYNC partnership between Ford and Microsoft at the annual American American International Auto Show in January 2007.
Ford SYNC technology is promoted as a new product that provides drivers with the ability to operate mobile phones and Bluetooth-enabled digital media players in their vehicles using voice commands, vehicle steering, and radio control. Then, new technology is added to SYNC where text messages received by the driver are "voiced" by a digital voice device called "Samantha". The SYNC text message function also has the ability to interpret about a hundred short messages, such as "LOL", and will read "insulting words", but does not describe the acronyms that designers have considered to be "obscene".
In 2007, as a stand-alone option, the suggested retail price for SYNC was US $ 395.
Maps Ford Sync
Compatibility
Certain voice commands, such as "Turn by turn directions", "Vehicle Health Report", "Weather" and climate control commands are not available in some countries such as Canada due to compatibility issues. For example, many commands are not available because there is no equivalent French for a command in English. Ford Canada expects to address this issue in upcoming software versions once the problem is resolved in detail, but there appears to be no definite release date.
Mobile integration
SYNC has various mobile-integration capabilities, including "Push to Talk" on the steering wheel, wireless transfer of contacts between the phone and the on-board phonebook, as well as various advanced calling features, such as caller ID, call waiting, conference call, call log, signal strength icon, and phone battery charging icon. Personal ringtones can also be assigned to identify a particular caller.
SMS Messages Sound
SYNC can convert user SMS messages to audio and read aloud to users through the vehicle speaker system. This feature is operator dependent and dependent on the user's device. This feature is supported by several mobile operating systems, including iPhone, most Android models, and Windows Mobile. This feature also depends on phone support Bluetooth Message Access Profile.
Entertainment
Support of digital music player
SYNC can connect to popular digital music players via Bluetooth or USB connection. Users can browse music collections by genre, album, artist, and song title using voice commands. With certain devices, SYNC is also capable of playing protected content (for example, Zune Pass downloads), provided the usage rights on the current device.
Multilingual intelligence
SYNC is fluent in American, French, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.
Apps
911 Assist
The 911 Assistance Application places direct calls to local 911 emergency operators in case of serious accidents with the use of air bags. Before starting the 911 emergency call, SYNC will provide a 10-second window to allow the driver or passenger to decide whether to cancel the call. If not manually canceled in a 10-second window, SYNC will make an emergency call. The previously recorded message will play when the call is answered, and passengers in the vehicle can then communicate directly with the 911 operator.
AppLink
AppLink allows iPhone and Android-based mobile devices to run approved apps using car buttons or voice commands.
The first set of applications announced for the US include Pandora Radio, Radio Stitcher, iHeartRadio, OpenBeak, NPR News, Slacker Radio, TuneIn Radio, and Ford SYNC Destinations. Rhapsody announced AppLink capabilities from Android-based mobile apps in January 2013. Spotify has been available for iPhone users in March 2013.
Applications for the UK market include miRoamer, Spotify, Personal Radio by AUPEO !, Glympse, EventSeeker, CitySeeker, Goal Live, Meople.Connector, HearMeOut, and Audioteka S.A.
Traffic, Directions, and Information
Traffic, Directions, and Information are apps that give users traffic alerts, turn-by-turn directions, and information about topics like weather, sports, news, and 411 business searches. Ford announced on May 27, 2009 that the Traffic, Direction, and Information application will be free for three years to the original owners of the 2010 model vehicle equipped with SYNC. Information for traffic alerts and Turn-By-Turn Directions is provided by INRIX and Telenav.
Vehicle Health Report
After setting their personal preferences online, users can access free car reports anytime using SYNC. This feature was released with SYNC version 2.0. All SYNC owners have access to upgrade to this version.
Ford Working Solutions
Ford Work Solutions is a collection of technologies launched in April 2009. Ford Work solutions are marketed to professionals who purchase Ford F150, F-Series Super Duty, E-Series vans, and Transit Connect. Magneti Marelli developed a unique in-dash computer system for trucks equipped with Ford Work Solutions. Applications included in Ford's Work Solutions are Head Crew, Garmin Nav, Mobile Office, and Tool Link.
Crew Head
The Head Crew app provides real-time vehicle location and maintenance tracking. Crew Chief can monitor various vehicle diagnostic functions including tire pressure, water in fuel, airbag faults and engine check lamps. Users can also create alerts to monitor things like high speed.
The Garmin Navigation app provides capabilities including destination routing and location of points of interest.
LogMeIn
The LogMeIn application allows users to access office computers remotely using a data connection provided by Sprint. Users can open applications on the computer remotely, make updates, and print documents using a Bluetooth-certified Bluetooth-enabled keyboard and printer.
Tool Link
Tool Link is an application that allows users to perform a physical inventory of existing objects in truck beds using radio frequency identification tags (RFID). The user attaches the RFID tag to the object, allowing the SYNC system to detect the presence or absence of an object and pay attention to the status of the object on the computer display in the dashboard.
Users can create a "job list" object to verify that the tools required for a particular job are on the truck before heading to the job site. At the end of the job, the system can inventory the items on the truck to make sure there are no tools left in the workplace. Ford developed the Tool Link application with DeWalt power tool manufacturer along with ThingMagic.
Agreement with Microsoft
Ford has exclusive use of Microsoft Auto embedded operating system that supports the initial version of SYNC until the exclusivity agreement expires in November 2008. Ford's user interface elements developed and Ford-developed applications remain exclusive to Ford group vehicles and not available to other manufacturers using Windows Embedded Automotive for basic infotainment systems in their vehicles.
SYNC Version
The original SYNC system (before the introduction of MyFord Touch) is now known as "SYNC Gen1", while the new MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch systems are known as "Gen2".
SYNC Gen1, September 2007-Nov. 2012
SYNC v1, which debuted in September 2007, offers the ability to play certain entertainment media, the ability to connect to certain phones and digital audio players and to take advantage of SMS. In January 2008, SYNC v2 was released, allowing two new applications developed by Ford: 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Report. SYNC v3, released in April 2009, allows Traffic apps, Directions, and Information. Later that month, Ford Work Solutions, a collection of five applications marketed to professionals who bought Ford trucks, added. Applications included in Ford's Work Solutions are Crew Chief, Garmin Nav, LogMeIn, and Tool Link. SYNC v4 and v5 were released in January 2010 and January 2011 respectively, and allowed Ford to develop MyFord Touch applications for 2011 model year vehicles as well as SYNC AppLink capability for 2011 model year vehicles. The latest version of SYNC was released in November 2012 by Ford and is only applicable to certain vehicles and configurations.
Ford has extended the warranty to Sync on some models 2011 to 2014 up to five years as a customer satisfaction issue. (Field Service Action ID: 12M02)
MyFord Touch
Sync 3
On December 11, 2014, Ford announced Sync 3, which will replace MyFord Touch, will have a simpler feature and will be supported by QNX software by BlackBerry Limited instead of Microsoft. The name Sync 3 will be used for both Ford and Lincoln models, although Lincoln will have a different theme. More than half of Ford's North American vehicles will have Synchronization 3 by the end of 2015 and will be expanded globally thereafter; vehicles not equipped with Sync 3 will be equipped with the original Ford Sync. Ford cites problems with complicated Microsoft software that drags down its scores with Consumer Reports and other consumer magazines being the reason why it switched to the BlackBerry QNX operating system.
System hardware
The SYNC computer, which Ford calls the Access Protocol Interface Module (APIM), is placed separately from the head unit, called the Audio Control Module (ACM), and interfaces with all vehicle audio sources as well as high-speed and medium-speed CAN-bus vehicles. The first generation of SYNC Ford computers is designed in collaboration with Continental AG and is built around a 400Ã, MHz Freescale i.MX31L processor with an ARM 11 CPU core, using 256Ã, MB 133Ã, MHz DDR SDRAM phones from Micron and 2Ã, GB Samsung NAND Flash Memory, running the Windows Embedded Automotive operating system, and using speech technology by Nuance Communications. Utilizing a USB port, Microsoft's Windows Synon Auto-based operating system can be updated to work with new personal electronic devices. BlueCore4's Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) chip provides Bluetooth connectivity with phones and compatible devices. SYNC's main circuit board chip costs around US $ 27.80, allowing Ford to profitably sell the system at a much lower price than competitive offerings.
Research
In 2011, Shutko and Tijerina reviewed large naturalistic studies on cars (Dingus and Klauer, 2008; Klauer et al., 2006; Young and Schreiner, 2009), good heavy vehicles (Olsen in el, 2008) and commercial vehicles and buses Hickman et al., 2010) in field operational tests (Sayer et al., 2005, 2007), and concludes that:
- Most of the collisions and near-misses that occur involve a lack of attention as contributing factors;
- Visual ignorance - that is, turning away from the street scene - is the most significant factor contributing to accidents and close-crash involvement;
- Cognitive impairment associated with listening or talking on handheld or handheld devices related to real-world accidents and near-death events at a lower level than is commonly believed, and such disorders can even improve security in some cases.
Awards and acknowledgments
- Popular Mechanics rated SYNC number four on the "Top 10 Greatest Gadget of 2007" list. The magazine
- Popular Science gave SYNC the "Best of What's New Award" award for 2008 in November 2007.
See also
- Android Auto
- Blue & amp; Me
- Bluetooth
- BMW Help
- CarPlay
- CarWings
- Hyundai Blue Link
- iLane
- Internavi
- Kia UVO
- MSN Direct
- MyFord Touch
- OnStar
- Toyota Entune
- Toyota G-Book
- Windows Embedded Automotive
- infrared
References
Bibliography
External links
- Ford SYNC's official website
- Airbiquity official site - Provider of SYNC data connectivity via wireless data communications technology aqLink
- INRIX official website - SYNC navigation traffic data provider
- Microlise's official website - Work Solutions Ford Chief partner app crew
- Official Nuance website - SYNC voice recognition software providers
- ThingMagic official website - Ford Work Solutions RFID Tag Provider
- EB Automotive's official website - Sync application providers like 911 help, Vehicle Health Report and more
- HowStuffWorks - Ford SYNC
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments