MyFord Remakes the Traditional Instrument Panel

"Our vision for SYNC is that customers can connect with friends and family, to their favorite entertainment devices and to all of the data stored in the cloud using voice commands, touch controls and colorful LCD graphics"

SOURCE: Hindustan Times

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Taking a page from cell phones and MP3 players, MyFord takes a radical step into the future with such features as reconfigurable instrument panel screens that are integrated into the speedometer. The system also relies on voice commands and five-way buttons like those on cell phones and MP3 players. Ford said drivers have "outgrown the traditional button/knob/gauge interface used in cars for the past 100 years."

Ford calls the new setup "a sweeping and ambitious redesign of the automotive interface." It said after MyTouch and MyLincoln roll out on the Edge and MKX, the technology will make its debut on the 2012 Ford Focus for global markets. "By 2015, approximately 80 percent of Ford's North American models are expected to have MyFord driver connect technology, with similar percentages predicted for the world market," Ford said in a statement.

Ford did not spell out how much the new technology will add to the bottom line. But it said the technology will be available across its lineup. "From our affordable small cars to the ultimate Lincoln, we're going to make a premium, appealing and intuitive experience available to everyone," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of global product development, in a statement.

The MyFord interface blends dual 4.2-inch LCD screens with five-way button steering-wheel controls and an 8-inch touchscreen controlled by what it says are simplified Ford Sync voice commands. Drivers choose information by clicking a button, issuing a voice command or tapping a touchscreen.