Ford’s New Dashboard Software, by BlackBerry
The screen’s large icons let drivers switch easily from maps to music. Ford’s putting volume and temperature knobs and dials back on the dash.
Photographer: Ryan Lowry for Bloomberg Businessweek
When new Fords start arriving in dealerships this summer, many models will feature the carmaker’s latest in-dash interface, called Sync 3. It’s not named after its predecessor MyFord Touch, because that software is something the carmaker would rather you forget.
Ford Motor has a mixed record in cockpit technology. It’s been one of the most innovative car companies, introducing more features across more models than any competitor, but the downside has been overreach. “Ford’s been first and they’ve been bold,” says Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports, but that means the company’s dashboard systems became too complicated. “It’s been risky, and at times it’s hurt them.”