SYNC Updated, expanded 911 Assist

[Edge Guide]

POPULAR FORD SYNC SYSTEM UPDATED, EXPANDED; ‘911 ASSIST’ CONNECTS EMERGENCY MEDICAL HELP

 

 

* Ford-Microsoft SYNC system to be available in nearly all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles later this year

* New “911 Assist” feature will help quickly connect vehicle occupants directly to a local 911 emergency operator following an air bag deployment in a SYNC-equipped vehicle – with no monthly fees

* Since SYNC is updatable, customers with 2008-model-year SYNC-equipped vehicles will be able to have their systems improved with the new applications

 

FORD EDGE FORUM – Ford Motor Company and Microsoft announce today that the award-winning Ford SYNC™ in-car connectivity system will be available to even more customers and with even more functionality later this year.

 

In his keynote address at the 2008 International CES in Las Vegas, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates announced that Ford will expand SYNC to nearly all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks by the end of 2008. Gates also confirmed a new “911 Assist” feature that will help drivers connect with emergency assistance in the event of an air bag deployment.

 

Introduced in the fall of 2007 and developed jointly by Ford and Microsoft, SYNC provides customers the convenience and flexibility to bring digital media players – Apple iPods, Microsoft Zunes and other MP3 players – and Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones into their vehicle and operate the devices via voice commands or with the buttons on the steering wheel or radio.

 

SYNC has been very popular. The new technology – which is exclusive to Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles – topped 30,000 unit sales in its first three months on the market. In fact, Ford says SYNC is on track to reach 1 million sales in early 2009.

 

The technology is available today on 12 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles. Later this year, it will be offered on nearly every new Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicle.

 

In addition to the new 911 Assist feature, SYNC is being updated this year to create, on demand, easy-to-understand reports that owners can use to monitor the health of their vehicles.

 

Because SYNC is a software solution, owners of 2008 models equipped with SYNC already on the road will be able to have their systems updated with the new functions, as well.

 

“From the start, we pursued an updatable software solution with SYNC, using the consumer electronics business as our model,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development. “The ability to add functionality and update the system to work with new devices is what makes SYNC unique in the industry right now. It is a strategy that will benefit our customers over time by ensuring their systems do not become outdated.”

 

911 Assist

Research shows that safety continues to be a leading driver of purchase consideration, and Ford is already a safety leader. In fact, Ford Motor Company has earned more National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) five star safety ratings and more Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Picks than any other manufacturer.

 

But, in the event of a serious accident with an air bag deployment, the ability to directly contact the local 911 emergency operator could be a critical need – for both vehicle occupants and the first responders. Beginning later this year, SYNC can help.

 

When a phone is properly paired, turned on and connected to SYNC – which is designed to happen every time the driver enters the vehicle with his or her cell phone – the system will be ready to assist in placing a call to a local 911 emergency operator should an air bag-deploying accident occur.

 

Before initiating the emergency 911 call, SYNC will provide a 10-second window to allow the driver or passenger to decide whether to cancel the call. If not manually cancelled within the 10-second window, SYNC will place the emergency call. A pre-recorded message will play when the call is answered, and occupants in the vehicle will then be able to communicate directly with the 911 operator.

 

“Being connected means being able to get the help you need, when you need it,” Kuzak said. “With SYNC, and specifically with the 911 Assist feature, we will be providing our customers an extra layer of security and peace of mind.”

 

The key advantage of SYNC 911 Assist is speed, as calls are placed directly to local 911 operators. A SYNC-assisted call should reach 911 operators faster than competitive systems, as there are no handoffs and no need to speak to a call-center operator. Further, there is no additional monthly fee for this feature, as SYNC utilizes a customer’s existing mobile phone.

 

Once the call is connected, 911 operators can respond to the situation exactly as they would with any 911 call. Emergency services can even determine the medical priority and dispatch the appropriate assistance based on the situation. If necessary – if vehicle occupants are non-responsive, for example – the location of the vehicle can be determined through voice-signal triangulation or, on some phones, the GPS location feature.

 

The new SYNC 911 Assist feature is expected to be high on every “customer want” list. It will become available later this year, and earlier SYNC software and vehicles will be updatable to support this additional application.

 

Vehicle Health Reports

Properly maintaining vehicles can save time, money and improve customers’ ownership experiences. Later this year, with SYNC’s added functionality, staying up to speed with a vehicle’s maintenance needs will be easier than ever.

 

Using the SYNC website (www.syncmyride.com), customers will be able to set up personal preferences for Vehicle Health Report (VHR). Once established, a report can be requested at any time, at no cost, using simple voice commands.

 

In creating a health report, SYNC will gather relevant information from the major vehicle control modules and send that information to Ford via an 800-number using the customer’s paired and operable mobile phone. The whole process, which in some vehicles will include a routine check of more than two dozen systems, takes a matter of minutes.

 

Once sent, the information is automatically analyzed by Ford and a complete report is created. Notification is then sent via text message or e-mail, based on customer preference. Reports will be accessible through www.syncmyride.com and will use simple, customer-friendly language, suggest next steps and, when appropriate, allow customers to schedule service online. Reports can also be printed or emailed as necessary.

 

Owners that need reminding about vehicle maintenance will be able to have SYNC prompt them to run a report at mileage intervals consistent with Ford’s maintenance schedule.

[Lex Talionis]

pretty cool...

 

now, I wonder along with these updates, if they would be able to offer a software augmentation that would allow more phones to be used with that system so that the 911 upgrade could actually work for everyone?

 

Also, I would assume, looking at the syncmyride.com website ( http://syncmyride.com/Own/Modules/FaqManag....aspx?tagId=125 ) that they will make this download available there so that the consumer can perform the update on their own via the USB port.

 

The health check is a sweet idea.

[akirby]

now, I wonder along with these updates, if the phone manufacturers would get their act together on bluetooth implementation that would allow more phones to be used with that system so that the 911 upgrade could actually work for everyone?

 

There....I fixed it for you. It's not a Sync problem - it's the phones! Didn't you just prove that with the Treo patch?

[Lex Talionis]

First, notice this post of mine came at 7:28 PM while the Treo post came at 9:37 - so the Treo comment in that other post was information learned hours later. That changes the way you should look at the comments across these 2 posts.

 

Second, I didn't "just prove" anything in that other post. That was 1 interesting comment on a board of hundreds of posts that I bought here as it adds an element of interest. there is no "proof" it is the phone makers... and I made that clear there. it was just an interesting claim/comment by some guy with no confirmation or actual 'proof'. Just as you have no actual 'proof' it is in the phones and not a sync issue..you are also just some guy with an interesting comment.

 

but, I do appreciate you following me around and keeping an eye on me though

Edited January 8, 2008 by Lex Talionis

[akirby]

First, notice this post of mine came at 7:28 PM while the Treo post came at 9:37 - so the Treo comment in that other post was information learned hours later. That changes the way you should look at the comments across these 2 posts.

 

Second, I didn't "just prove" anything in that other post. That was 1 interesting comment on a board of hundreds of posts that I bought here as it adds an element of interest. there is no "proof" it is the phone makers... and I made that clear there. it was just an interesting claim/comment by some guy with no confirmation or actual 'proof'. Just as you have no actual 'proof' it is in the phones and not a sync issue..you are also just some guy with an interesting comment.

 

but, I do appreciate you following me around and keeping an eye on me though

 

I thought you were following me........

 

It's a known fact that not all phones support all of the bluetooth standards. It's also a known fact that there are many phones that have been tested and work fine with Sync, proving that Ford and Microsoft have implemented the bluetooth interface standards correctly. Now there can always be a bug in the software but as far as compatibility goes if it works with several phones but not your phone model then I don't understand how you can think it's a Sync problem.

 

If I were you I'd be beating up the phone mfr to fix it instead of whining about Ford.

[Hardhawk]

The next upgrade will be for SYNC to take photos of what is going on in the car and then use your paired cell phone to e-mail them to everyone on your contacts list. We may all think that all there is in the rear view mirror is a microphone. There could be a tiny camera too. Big Brother Blue Oval is watching you so keep it clean! Your friendly trial attorney or insurance company will also be able to download the readings from the black box after a crash to use for/against you in the litigation that will ensue as a result of the crash.

[Lex Talionis]

If I were you I'd be beating up the phone mfr to fix it instead of whining about Ford.

 

your thinking to myopically about this... first, we are not sure where exactly the issue is. lots of surmising, no actual concrete diagnosis so it is hard to say who one 'whines' to. that fact aside, think about it like this.....if you 'whine' to Ford, it could filter back to where it needs to go. in your opinion, and that of some others... Palm while Ford thinks the carrier. if you 'whine' to Palm, it could filter back to where it needs to go. If you 'whine' to Microsoft, maybe it filters back where it needs to go. If you 'whine' to your carrier, maybe it filters back where it needs to go. Point is, one can't assume that a barrage of complaints to anyone of 4 possible culprits may not, in the end, filter back to the technology company with the answer to the issue and they work to rectify it.

 

Finally, be rest assured... Iam walking the walk as I have made a concerted effort to contact both my carrier and Palm (call and email) about the issue to get them aware of it as I would love to use the feature at some point in the future. So, I am (as are many others) 'whining' to all fronts as in the end, you never know which front will finally bring about a change.

 

It's a known fact that not all phones support all of the bluetooth standards. It's also a known fact that there are many phones that have been tested and work fine with Sync, proving that Ford and Microsoft have implemented the bluetooth interface standards correctly. Now there can always be a bug in the software but as far as compatibility goes if it works with several phones but not your phone model then I don't understand how you can think it's a Sync problem.

 

Now, as for assuming they "implemented the bluetooth interface standards correctly" because "it works with several phones" - that does not hold that much water nor is it 'proof' of anything conclusive. At this moment, they confirm list about 42 phones across 6 carriers. That is an average of 7 phones working per carrier, but the reality is that some carriers only have 2-3 possible phones out of their 'current' selection of dozens of phones in their line up (not to mention past phones from their lineup or the hundreds of BT compatible phones out there). So, when you really look at it, it is not all that impressive amount of cell phone usability.

 

I await your forth coming response... which I am sure is on its way

[akirby]

Now, as for assuming they "implemented the bluetooth interface standards correctly" because "it works with several phones" - that does not hold that much water nor is it 'proof' of anything conclusive. At this moment, they confirm list about 42 phones across 6 carriers. That is an average of 7 phones working per carrier, but the reality is that some carriers only have 2-3 possible phones out of their 'current' selection of dozens of phones in their line up (not to mention past phones from their lineup or the hundreds of BT compatible phones out there). So, when you really look at it, it is not all that impressive amount of cell phone usability.

 

Wow - you don't know much about troubleshooting. I've been doing computer troubleshooting for 20 years (real ones with millions of business dollars at stake - not PCs). There are only 2 options here - Sync software has a bug that only affects your Treo and possibly a few other phones OR the phone itself has a problem with the bluetooth pairing logic. The fact that 42 phones from 6 different carriers (and several mfrs) work properly says that the Sync bluetooth interface is working properly - end of discussion. That either makes it a phone problem OR a simple mismatch in the bluetooth implementations where the standard is vague and each one did it differently. Possible but not likely.

 

If you do a search for Treo bluetooth problems you'll find a plethora of problems with other bluetooth devices, not just Sync.

 

I'm not saying it can't be a Sync problem, just that there's only a 10% chance. 90% it's the phone.

[jpeckinp]

Anybody heard anything new about this? I have been looking at syncmyride.com but nothing new in a few months. They don't even have the owner to owner going yet.