The Ford SYNC Story

#bigcar #FordSYNC

[lornova]

Ford Sync launched in 2007, but FIAT Blue&Me, based on the exact same Microsoft platform, launched in 2006. Microsoft and Fiat designed the platform together starting in 2003. The product was engineered by Magneti Marelli (you can see the logo on the PCB at 6:34), and I was proudly part of its software development team.

[onlyonewhyphy]

That opening music could have been louder.

[dragonheart]

This is super interesting!
I remember Fords first getting this in the Focus and then Fusion while I was at Enterprise.

It was such a jaw dropping moment
the first time I connected my cellphone (an Auidovox flip phone I believe lol) to the Focus at that time and making a phone call (to my late father...god I wish I had a recording of that...) and hearing him talking through the car speakers ❤️

It didn’t strike me at the time what a huge impact SYNC would make, or the amazing changes that were to come in cars. At the time it was regular car radios that, other than cassette and CD capability and maybe a few more speakers, hadn’t changed much since the 1970s and 80s, to the expansive infotainment systems cars have nowadays. Ha, it wasn’t all that long ago when a car review usually didn’t even mention the radio, but today nearly a 1/4 of every car review is about just the infotainment system lol
And all this started with Microsoft and SYNC (and the Fiat’s version as well)

I really enjoyed this and look forward to future videos

[honkhonkler]

This sold us on a new 2009 F-150 in late 2008 because GM, Toyota and Chrysler had nothing like it in their trucks at the time. And unlike most early automotive voice command systems, it actually worked well!

[jefferysmith]

What a story! I had no idea. How quickly we take all this stuff for granted

[kohlerbc]

I have the old Sync 3 System in my 2018 Ford Focus ST base model. Besides the screen being small, it’s a highly reliable and simple to use system that’s highly responsive to commands like switching music tracks unlike some newer systems I’ve tried. Plus it doesn’t beat at me annoyingly when I’m parking, praise the Lord haha. But there’s a lack of proper navigation assistance

[Beth]

My 3rd car had BT in it. It was a 2011 Mercury Milan. It didn’t have GPS in the car. It was a big upgrade from a 2005 Ford Focus. The vehicle that I have now has Apple Car Play. It is a 2020 Ford Escape SE. It was a big upgrade for me just after driving a 2015 Ford Escape SE. That old one was just liked my Milan.

[leonb]

As more people got cellphones and wanted to use them in their cars, it became clear that some 'hands free' system had to be developed along with laws banning other than hands free use of them due to growing numbers of crashes from their use. I had this in a 2014 Focus I owned 2016-2021and only used the hands free phone function. It was also part of the set ups for the radio, audio system, other minor functions of the car.

[janrod]

Excellent. Talented material and I am curious for more!

[compu]

Our '13 Fiat 500e had Blue & Me. It worked really well! The voice dialing worked much better, and was *much* faster than the system in the similar vintage '14 Cadillac.
The Sync SOS feature makes a lot of sense. I liked it when I discovered it in a rental Fusion I had in 2011.

[Megadriver]

Great job, this was a genuinely interesting video and it earned you a new subscriber. I like learning about how car manufacturers introduced new features and how they came to be. I've never tried Sync, nor have I ever owned a Ford, so I can't judge Sync.

I do own two Mercedes with the Linguatronic voice recognition and it works absolutely perfect. Total disobedience... in English and German... you say "Radio 1", it starts playing a CD. You say "Destination Munich", it calls your mom.
But hey, on long journeys you need entertainment and arguing with my Mercedes is fun so I like the system XD

[TheTitaniumSkull]

Windows CE was during initial roll out a good thing, but with all windows products it never improves but rather degrades over time.
The best thing Ford has done with SYNC is SYNC3 with RIM OS.

[TheKrazyKat]

I love the photo at 17:38, these quotes add a feeling of humanity to the project

[BeesonsCars]

“SYNC HAS DETECTED A NEW DEVICE AND IS REMINDING YOU THAT 911 ASSIST IS SET TO OFF.”

[FranBushardt]

I had the much Hated My Ford Touch in my 2013 Fusion and It did Work FLAWLESSLY! Never an issue with it. I fully understand where mine might have been an exception but now I enjoy the Sync in my 21 Mustang which has also been Perfection!

[kymrobinson]

Excellent as always, really appreciate your content. Thank you

[Lethaltail]

Those ship certificates are quite pretty. Thank you for making these videos!

[cawimmer]

Very interesting.

I am currently driving the new 2018 Mercedes-Benz A250 with MBUX and it’s amazing how much easier (and fun) life and the driving experience can be with such features.

[aidan]

I don’t know why you don’t have 1 million+ Your one of the best you tubers!

[sameyers]

I bought a 2015 Focus 1.5tdci in August that has Sync 2 and I've found it a great system, really easy to use