User experience -- the focus of any savvy consumer electronics company (though
not all) looking to differentiate itself in a marketplace saturated by imitators. Now an auto company is hoping to capitalize on this fundamental tenant of modern consumerism: Ford. With the introduction of MyFord, the Detroit institution will attempt to refashion the driver's interface so as to more closely align with the rich graphic displays found on today's consumer electronics. Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development, says "it's not just a technology; it's an experience... that will cause people to fall in love with their vehicles again." Powered by the second generation of
Ford Sync that is itself built upon Microsoft Auto 4.0, MyFord Touch offers improved voice recognition, touch-sensitive buttons, touch screens, and thumb-wheel controls that replace most traditional knobs and switches scattered about the driver's cockpit. MyFord also boosts connectivity with the help of an SD card slot and WiFi. Information is displayed on a pair of 4.2-inch full-color LCDs flanking an analog speedometer with five-way navigation buttons on each side of the steering wheel crossbar that give the driver control over data on the corresponding left- or right-side display; vehicle data on the left (fuel economy, mechanical status, safety features) and infotainment on the right (audio setting, climate controls, phone communications and navigation menus). An 8-inch touchscreen LCD at the top of the center console stack is the centerpiece of phone, navigation, climate and audio/entertainment functions and features fingertip slider controls for adjusting the audio volume and fan speed -- voice commands can also be used in most cases.
In yet
another blow to makers of personal GPS navigators, Ford is also making its existing Traffic, Directions & Information application standard on all MyFord and Sync-equipped cars. Enhanced 3D map-based navigation is enabled by upgradeable SD cards (supplied by TeleNav) containing the map database and voice data, 3D map graphics, and enhanced point-of-interest data from Wcities. Naturally, the navigation system takes full advantage of those 3x MyFord LCDs to displays visual cues like street names, directional arrows, and distance makers in addition to spoken turn-by-turn directions.
Expect to see MyFord branded as MyLincoln Touch and MyMercury Touch on respective Lincoln and Mercury branded rigs kicking off with the 2011 Lincoln MKX set for reveal at the North American International Auto Show next week.
posted January 7th 2010 12:01AM
Haha, not sure if I would appreciate a BSOD while going 60 mph
@sip LOL! I was going to say,"Cue up M$ powering your car jokes..."
I'm neither a Ford owner or use Microsoft products by choice. But this seems to be really cool. So cool that I might buy a Ford for the first time ever.
@phreakincool Nobody seems to realize that there a very vast amount of devices out there use Windows CE/Windows Embedded. In cars it isn't just Sync, Uvo, Blue & Me, or EcoDrive. Many navigational systems in cars use it, and many of the standalone GPS systems out there are powered by Windows CE 5.0 NavReady. Some TVs use it. Some digital cameras use it. Even some car radios use it.
@aschettler
thank you. thats all.
on another note, if google nav wasn't a big enough blow to tomtom and garmin and the likes, well...this is a little more ground and pound for them. in the coming weeks, i think most smart investors will be starting to move them out of their portfolio, if they haven't already.
Managed to go a whole day without ripping/dissing on Nokia!
Congrats Thomas/Engadget.
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All the attention to tech by F0rd is sweet too bad Detroit makes crappy cars
@Munk
This is not a crappy car.
This is really cool! Hope it doesn't cost TOO much extra.
How about letting you upload custom skins for the interfaces? Seems like the next logical step to appeal to the videogame generation.
@TIMMAH I was thinking the same thing when I was reading it.
I was also thinking similarly, particularly concerning the large analog speedometer, conflicting with the "8-inch, 800 x 480 optional screen landing in the center of the dash" (article "MyFord Touch coming to 2011 Ford Focus").
I was hoping the 8" display was in the center of the dash, so I could change the speedometer colors and range, not to mention swapping it out for a digital meter. In either case, the meter could change colors based on the current speed. (I was thinking it could change scale based on current speed, but while it would improve accuracy, that would get confusing.)
Think of a display like this, for highway use:
--------------------
Cruise set to Current speed Posted Limit
75 (60pt light blue) 73 (84pt white) 70 (60pt yellow)
Distance to next turn: (18pt light blue) 35.3 (36pt white) miles (18pt light blue)
Turn ➚ at Exit 19 (18pt yellow, increasing to 36pt when 1 mile remaining)
--------------------
Scenarios:
You turn on your left turn signal while traveling at 60mph, and the display adds a line across the bottom in 24pt white: Left Lane Is Clear.
You turn on your right turn signal, and the display adds a line across the bottom in 36pt red outlined in white, flashing: Right Lane Is Occupied.
At the same time, the right small display changes to have a car outline depicting you and a box with a large X, also red outlined in white and flashing, beside and sightly to the rear of the car, positioned so that the front beside the rear wheel. The box with the X depicts the actual location of the vehicle.
As soon as your vehicle passes the other (by x safety margin), the small display reverts to what it was before, and the text warning changes to a 24pt white: Right Lane Is Clear.
Do we need more distractions while driving?
@esposimi
are you stupid? do you even pay attention and slander at anything that is good? Most of the features can only be used once the car is fully stopped, the phone that is connected is blocked off from use and is all hands free via voice control. This new technology will do many many things and safety is of course the biggest concern.
I'm using Ford's current iteration of Sync/navigation, and it's sweet. When my lease is up, my next vehicle will be whichever one has this system. Dear god.
Distracting mess. Ford make every button gigantic, big, and have a flow to it. And for god sakes put a physical fucking home button below the screen.
Will it crash? HEYO!
Look at the number of buttons on the steering wheel. This is an accident waiting to happen.
I wish Apple would get into this market.
Do you realize who drives Lincolns and Mercs? 80 something year olds who cannot find the turn signal lever - and now we are going to throw this at them. If you live in Central or South Florida you know exactly what I am talking about. This is going to be a nightmare. Ford needs to put it in cars that are purchased by people that have at least some knowlege of today's electronics.
This is really cool. I liked ford sync before but I wouldn't get it because my alpine ipod deck does what I need it to do and looks good while doing it. It show album art etc.
I think I could switch now. The only problem is I don't like the look of ford cars.
No, no, no, NO! Please, Ford! Make it with your own Linux, Android, Ubuntu, or OS X. Microsoft's track record does NOT entitle it to this pivotal role in a vehicle. Microsoft has already proven that if you Windows in this role, it will fail.
http://www.slothmud.org/~hayward/mic_humor/nt_navy.html
With the utmost sincerity, do not put Windows behind the dashboard.