Ford announces Sync Connect smartphone app

When every other automaker went running for smartphone apps that connected to a vehicle via an in-car modem, Ford chose to hold off, claiming the smartphone is the method for providing vehicles with Internet-based functionality. Henceforth, Ford went for a change of heart!

Kuala Lumpur: Ford’s Sync Connect has introduced a new technology that provides car owners with remote access to vehicle features via a smartphone app. This technology will allow the users to remotely lock, unlock, start or locate their vehicles using their smartphones.

Ford made the announcement during the LA Auto Show and Connected Car Expo. The company said it will first bring the new Sync Connect capabilities to the 2017 Ford Escape SUV. This summer, Ford updated its connected-car technology with Sync 3, which appears in the 2016 Ford Escape and Fiesta. Sync systems are currently in more than 12 million Ford vehicles around the world.

“New SYNC Connect provides convenience to Ford owners through an easy-to-use app,” said Don Butler, executive director, Ford Connected Vehicle and Services. “The technology helps you seamlessly integrate your vehicle into your lifestyle. Get locked out? Cold outside? Forget where you parked? No problem. Just use your smartphone.”

Owners enable SYNC Connect through a two-step authentication process to protect personal information, confirming setup on the vehicle touch screen and on the mobile application.

The Sync Connect app, which works through a modem built into the vehicle, also allows users to check on the status of some systems, such as tire pressure and fuel, and oil and battery levels. Other features enabled through Sync include voice activation for smartphones, conversational voice recognition, Siri Eyes-Free support for Apple iPhones and an on-board graphical interface.

Vehicle features Ford's Sync Connect users can remotely access are:

• Lock and unlock
• Remote start, including scheduling a future start - You need to leave at 8 a.m., so you program a remote start for 7:50 a.m., then get in to a running, warm car and drive away comfortably and on time
• Vehicle status, including fuel, oil and battery levels, along with tire pressure readings
• Vehicle location - where your car is parked is displayed on a map

Sync Connect will launch with the 2017 Ford Escape, which debuts this week at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show. It requires both Ford's latest infotainment system, Sync 3, as well as the embedded modem.

Sync Connect functionality is included in the price of the vehicle, and it includes five years of coverage.

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