Car companies aren't known for creating awesome infotainment systems. In fact, though today's vehicles are mechanically very good, quality scores have plummeted because of terrible in-dash software. That's why many shoppers are excited about the long-overdue arrival of Google's Android Auto and...Read More»
Ford's MyFord Touch infotainment system is going the way of Windows XP--an ironic parallel, since Ford [NYSE:F] is also ditching Microsoft code as it ushers in a third-generation infotainment system dubbed Sync 3. ALSO SEE: 2016 Audi Q7: First Look The new system skips the MyFord Touch and...Read More»
The sad fact is, cell phones aren't perfect. Sure, they keep us connected to friends around the globe, but they also make it possible for us to spend entire holiday dinners face down in Facebook, ignoring everyone around us. And that's to say nothing of mobile phones' tragic effect on auto fatality...Read More»
The MyFord Touch infotainment system has been a mixed blessing for Ford. On the one hand, it's become hugely popular with consumers. In fact, roughly 80 percent of new-car shoppers shell out for it. That's meant huge profits for America's best-loved company. On the other hand, not everyone's a fan...Read More»
Two years ago, J.D. Power published a brutal assessment of Ford Motor Company: in just one year, the company's rank on Power's Initial Quality Survey plummeted from #5 to #23. The tumble wasn't due to dodgy build quality on the vehicles themselves. Rather, it was almost entirely attributed to...Read More»
Perhaps more than any other automaker, Ford understands the challenges of explaining technology to customers. Its own MyFord Touch and SYNC systems have caused the company's initial quality rankings to plummet because owners don't understand how all the bells and whistles work. Now, Ford has...Read More»
Good news for current and future Ford owners: according to the Detroit Free Press, the automaker will release an update to its much-maligned MyFord Touch infotainment system in December, and warranties on the system will be extended by a full two years. The troubles with MyFord Touch and its luxury...Read More»
In the old days, buying a base model generally meant compromising on the features you really wanted, since automakers really offered the “good stuff” in gateway vehicles. Take Ford’s popular Fiesta, for example: it offers stripped-down Sync and navigation systems, but buyers...Read More»
Pricing, financing, warranties, insurance--it's one hurdle after another to make it through the car shopping experience without paying a dime more than you must. Sometimes, it's not the dealer or the bank that costs you extra money. It's you. By ordering optional features that don't add much to the...Read More»
The past two years have been pretty good to Ford: the company launched some very popular new models like the Ford Fiesta and the revamped Focus, and the automaker largely avoided the bankruptcy/bailout fiasco that plagued its Detroit rivals. Over the summer, however, Ford was dealt a setback in...Read More»
Following a chorus of criticism of its MyFordTouch system, Ford has upgraded the software for the 2013 model year--and will make the upgrade available for all vehicles that have been sold with earlier versions. The company is continuing to make MyFordTouch available on its lineup of new vehicles...Read More»
In 2010, Ford was ranked fifth overall in J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Survey (IQS). In 2011, the automaker plunged to twenty-third overall, slotting in just above Nissan but just below Ram. Even luxury-brand Lincoln took a significant hit in initial quality ratings, falling from eight...Read More»
It's no secret that in-car technology is taking over the driving experience. While the poster child for new car technology is currently Ford's MyFord Touch, it will soon be eclipsed by technology that push the boundaries even further. Lexus engineers are using advanced simulators to monitor...Read More»
The Ford Sync system is now installed in about 70 percent of U.S. Ford models, in a total of 2.5 million vehicles. With voice-command-based, hands-free access to cellphones and media players, via Bluetooth and USB, Sync arguably helps keep your eyes on the road by replacing button-pushing with...Read More»
Bluetooth streaming is a passing fad, and we're here to tell you why. The solution to in-car audio seems brilliant, at first. Your Bluetooth-equipped car is already connecting your device for phone calls. Why can't it also connect the music player so you don't have to fiddle with a jumble of wires...Read More»
Chances are you already know all about Ford's SYNC and MyFord/MyLincoln Touch software. But did you know Ford is using the on-board WiFi to load the software on the cars while they're rolling down the Oakville assembly line? The 2011 Ford Edge is the first vehicle to get the high-tech build...Read More»
