Ford‘s latest in-dash infotainment system, Sync 3, is no longer built by Microsoft—while the software giant was responsible for the first two generations of Sync, the new-for-2015 model was designed in partnership with Blackberry. But Microsoft will still play an important role in the way the new setup works, by providing the automatic, over-the-air, WiFi-powered software updates that will keep the system current.
Automotive News reports that Ford and Microsoft announced the partnership today at a conference in Atlanta. Like your smartphone and other digital devices, a Sync 3-equipped Ford will connect to your home WiFi to automatically download software updates whenever they’re available.
Ford hopes the partnership with Microsoft will ensure quicker, more reliable software downloads—after all, over-the-air updates are the kind of thing the software giant has plenty of experience with. The feature is new to Sync 3, which will begin to appear in Ford vehicles later this year and will extend across the Ford and Lincoln U.S. lineups by the end of 2016. As we reported when Sync 3 was announced, the wireless updates replace the tedious process of downloading Sync updates to a USB thumb drive and uploading them manually from your dashboard, or visiting the dealership every time new software is available.
- Ford Sync 3 Unveiled: Wireless Updates, Smartphone-Style Interface, and More
- Testing Ford Sync 3: An Amazingly Vast Improvement
- Ford Vehicle Research: Pricing, Reviews, Photos, and More on Every Model
We’re big fans of the convenience of automatic over-the-air updates—they’re the best cure for the infuriatingly outdated software that plagues so many in-dash systems. Just make sure your parking spot is within reach of your WiFi router: Ford says many dealerships will be installing WiFi transmitters to make sure their inventory gets the latest software.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/1GRFtB6
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