Ford of Canada Celebrates as SYNC In-Car Connectivity System Hits Half-Million Mark

FORD CANADA - Installed in more than 500,000 Ford vehicles in Canada, Ford SYNC, the voice-activated in-car connectivity system is a hit with consumers. SYNC helps to keep customers focused on driving thanks to over 10,000 voice commands that drivers can use to operate phones, digital music players and more without ever having to let go of the steering wheel.

Ford internal research has found that customers who bought 2011 models of Ford vehicles treat SYNC as a must-have technology and purchased the system 82 per cent of the time. Also, more than 80 per cent of SYNC users said they are likely to recommend the system to others.

"The popularity of Ford SYNC powered by Microsoft speaks for itself, with more than half a million SYNC enabled vehicles on Canadian roads today," says Richard Neumann, Cross Vehicle Line Manager, Ford of Canada. "SYNC has been integral in keeping pace with consumer tastes, delivering value through new features that keep them connected to their digital lives in a simpler and smarter way while driving."

SYNC has evolved quickly since first introduced in late 2007 and has grown to provide customers even more value. In 2010, SYNC with MyFord Touch was launched, which provides customers with a rich interface that consists of an 8-inch colour touch screen and two 4.2-inch LCD screens in the instrument clusters. Together these elements create a user interface that makes vehicle functions, settings and information easily accessible to the driver through voice, steering wheel controls or with a simple tap on the touch screen.

Ford's open platform approach to mobile device connectivity has helped SYNC stand out in the industry, allowing for continuous improvement of the user experience, the addition of new features and compatibility with a large number of devices.

"SYNC has clearly been a game-changing technology, and we are constantly upgrading this platform, showing how quickly we can deliver more of what customers really want," explains Neumann. "Earlier this year Ford offered a no charge upgrade to existing MyFord Touch owners – the software upgrade enhances the ownership experience as it was developed by listening and responding to customer feedback".

New features include support for tablet devices and Audible.com audiobooks, improved navigation maps and enhanced voice recognition interaction.

To learn more about SYNC and SYNC with MyFord Touch, visit www.syncmyride.ca , your local Dealer or look for a Ford Drive to Discover event near you, www.drivetodiscover.ca