Faster, Simpler, Better: MyFord Touch Upgrade Provides New and Existing Customers Enhancements and New Features

• Ford will launch performance upgrades and new features for MyFord Touch^® beginning with 2013 models – no-charge upgrade will be available to existing owners
• Simpler graphics, faster touch-screen response and easier-to-use controls are among the many enhancements to the voice-activated in-car connectivity system

The new touch-screen interface features new simpler graphics and controls that are easier to use. Customers will experience significantly faster touch-screen response times, one of the top requests from owners.

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 7, 2011 – Ford customers said MyFord Touch^® could be faster and feature simpler graphics that are easier to use and that’s exactly what Ford plans to deliver with a broad set of performance upgrades to the system – launching first on the new 2013 Ford Escape, Flex and Taurus.

 

Available early next year – and offered at no charge to existing MyFord Touch owners – the software upgrade enhances the ownership experience as it was developed by listening and responding to customer feedback.

 

“SYNC^® has clearly been a game-changing technology and now we’re changing the game again, showing how quickly we can deliver more of what customers really want,” said Graydon Reitz, director, Ford Global Electronics and Electrical Systems Engineering. “Our strategy to create the SYNC software platform and add the customizable screens of MyFord Touch gives us a level of flexibility and speed to respond to customer input like never before seen in the auto industry.”

 

The new touch-screen interface features simpler graphics and controls that are easier to use. Customers will also experience significantly faster touch-screen response times, one of the top requests from owners.

 

New features include support for tablet devices and Audible.com audiobooks, improved navigation maps and enhanced voice recognition interaction.

 

For a video demonstration of the improvements, please visit: http://youtu.be/c3k4iDZyhYE

 

Listening to customers

Since MyFord launched last fall, Ford has held four customer clinics in which hundreds of owners talked directly to Ford engineers about their experiences with the new technology. Owner feedback was clear and consistent, revealing that MyFord Touch was a key purchase reason.

 

A survey of 2011 Ford Edge owners shows that four of the top seven purchase reasons were elements of the MyFord Touch system: the touch screen, steering wheel controls, voice recognition and dashboard styling.

 

While owners reported that they love the system, there were distinct areas where they wanted improvements. Earlier this year, Ford started delivering on their requests, beginning with more instructions and information on how to best utilize the capabilities of the system.

Ford launched two programs modeled after what consumers experience when purchasing a new electronic device. First, the company added a new MyFord Touch owner support website featuring how-to videos at www.syncmyride.com. Second, free “SYNC My Ride” personalized training sessions for new owners are now offered through Ford dealers – scheduled at customers’ convenience.

 

“The keys to continuous improvement are simple: Listen, learn and respond. That’s how we’re going to keep our customers happy,” said Gary Jablonski, manager, SYNC Platform Development. “Evolving the software with meaningful enhanced features was part of our plan from the very beginning. It’s no different than the experience with our smartphones and laptop computers – except now, it’s your car that gets better.”

 

Upgrade your ride

All of the new improvements will be offered to existing owners of MyFord Touch-equipped vehicles, including the 2011 and 2012 models of Ford Explorer and Edge and the 2012 Focus. Owners of 2011 and 2012 Lincoln MKX crossovers will also receive the upgrade for their MyLincoln Touch^™ systems.

 

“We’re seizing the opportunity to continuously improve the Ford ownership experience, and revolutionize what it means to own a car,” said Reitz. “Introducing new technology is only one step in our journey to become known as a technology company. Consistently improving it based on what our customers are telling us marks another milestone in that journey.”

 

Early next year, owners located in the U.S. will be mailed a USB flash drive with the software upgrade for installation that they can do at their own convenience. If they prefer, owners may also visit their local Ford or Lincoln dealer for the software installation. The upgrade mailing will include instructions informing owners how to simply plug the USB flash drive into the MyFord Touch Media Hub’s USB port in order for installation to automatically begin.

 

New look

The visual enhancements to MyFord Touch are based on simplifying the graphics with larger, bolder fonts, removing low-priority visual content, and designing screens based on a consistent pattern. More than 1,000 screens in total have been updated with the improved look.

 

“Our goal when designing the upgrade was to simplify the screens and give customers a fast and easy way to get information at any given moment,” said Jennifer Brace, User Interface Design engineer for Ford. “That meant removing buttons, relocating high-use controls closer to the driver’s reach, simplifying tasks and improving font size.”

 

The new fonts are as much as 40 percent larger on some redesigned screens. The fonts also are wider and bolder to provide easier legibility, particularly among the rapidly increasing number of drivers age 60 and older.

 

New features

Ford also took the opportunity to update the performance of the system and add new features for customers to help them keep pace with the fast-moving consumer electronics market.

 

Faster touch-screen response time, for example, was a key request from owners. Initial testing shows that touch and voice response is at least two times faster than the current system.

 

Also, the software upgrade includes the following enhancements:

 

• Improved voice recognition experience powered by Nuance
  • Quicker voice recognition upon startup and faster command prompt when the voice button is pushed
  • Voice commands used in conjunction with navigation are simplified through elimination of the need to provide street direction, e.g., “Main Street” instead of “North Main Street”
  • Music requests are simpler by removing the need to include the additional song, album or artist information often found at the end of a name in parenthesis or brackets
  • Customers can find their favorite sports team in action via new Sirius Game Finder simply by saying a command such as “Tune to Detroit Lions game”

• Tablet device compatibility
  • Music and other media content from most popular tablet computers like the Apple iPad can now be accessed through a simple USB connection

• Audible.com audiobook support
  • Listen to Audible.com content using voice commands or the easy-to-use touch-screen controls

• Connected navigation powered by TeleNav features new map data by NAVTEQ
  • Updated map views are richer and feature more 3D landmarks
  • Views of freeway junctions and signs are enhanced through photorealistic screen images
  • Smart routing options are provided based on a database of historical traffic patterns

• Phone compatibility
  • Automatic Bluetooth^® connection upon vehicle entry has been improved
  • Noise and echo cancellation during phone calls has been improved to enhance call quality

• Gracenote^® album cover art database
  • Inclusion of the latest music metadata available enhancing the music playback experience
  • Improved voice recognition for music search allowing drivers to pinpoint artists with hard-to-pronounce names or nicknames

New Ford Flex Brings More Technology, Better Fuel Economy, Modern Sophistication to Seven-Passenger Crossover

Flex offers the new generation of MyFord Touch®, rear-inflatable belts, collision-avoidance technologies, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry, first-row heated and cooled seats, power-fold mirrors and an optional new appearance package.

• The latest three-row, seven-passenger Ford Flex offers comfort and advanced technology in a distinctive package, including sleek new front end and modern interior
• New Flex features the latest MyFord Touch® system, new safety and driver-aid features such as adaptive cruise control, Ford’s Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) as well as push- button start, rear inflatable belts, rain-sensing wipers and active park assist
• Under the hood, Flex is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter Ti-VCT V6 that delivers 20 more horsepower and projected 1 mpg better fuel economy, or the popular and fuel-efficient 3.5-liter EcoBoost® V6 engine

 

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 8, 2011 – Fans of the Ford Flex have even more to love next year with an upgraded model with a sleek new look and even more technology to make driving safer, easier and more fuel-efficient.

 

“Flex appeals to people who want to stand out from the crowd and has the highest retention rate of any vehicle in the Ford lineup,” said Mark Fields, president of The Americas. “With technologies not found in other full-size utilities, even better fuel economy and a more modern, sophisticated look, we’re offering people even more reasons to choose Flex with the new model.”

 

The seven-passenger, three-row crossover – which debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show this month – comes equipped with the new generation of MyFord Touch, rear inflatable belts, collision-avoidance technologies, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry, first-row heated and cooled seats, power-fold mirrors and an optional new Appearance Package. Plus, the base 3.5-liter engine is projected to deliver 1 mpg better fuel economy on the highway and in the city, with 20 more horsepower.

 

Enhanced technology  

The new Flex features SYNC® with the new generation of MyFord Touch®, making it easier to manage information, control features and adjust settings.

 

“We’ve listened to our customers and have improved what they love about MyFord Touch,” said Kenneth Williams, systems integration engineer. “In this upgrade, the screens have a cleaner, clearer display. The words on the screens are larger and easier to read, the pressable areas on the screen look more like buttons, and we have made the functions clearer for faster navigation.

 

“What separates MyFord Touch is that there are multiple ways for customers to manage and control what they want through voice commands, menus accessed through the steering wheel controls, touch screen, buttons or knobs – whatever they prefer.”

 

MyFord Touch includes two 4.2-inch screens in the instrument cluster and an eight-inch screen in the center stack. The feature pairs with the latest version of SYNC.

 

The base SYNC package includes:

 

• Hands-free, voice-activated calling via a Bluetooth®-connected mobile phone or USB-connected digital music player
• 911 Assist™, the automated emergency calling service that is free for the life of the vehicle
• Vehicle Health Report, the on-demand diagnostic and maintenance information service

Enhanced safety and driver-aid technology

The new Flex is equipped with the automotive world’s first production rear inflatable belts to offer improved comfort and protection for rear seat passengers. Last month, this safety innovation was named a Breakthrough Product Award winner by Popular Mechanics, part of the magazine’s seventh annual Breakthrough Awards.

 

The advanced restraint system is designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries.

 

Advances in airbag inflation and safety belt construction methods have enabled Ford and its suppliers to develop inflatable seat belts that are designed to deploy over a vehicle occupant’s torso and shoulder in 40 milliseconds in the event of a crash.

 

The new second-row belts operate like traditional safety belts in everyday use and inflate when sensors indicate a collision event. Each belt’s tubular airbag inflates with cold compressed gas, which flows through a specially designed buckle from a cylinder housed below the seat.

 

The new Flex also boasts available radar-enabled adaptive cruise control (ACC) and collision warning with brake support and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert. These technologies help drivers avoid potential accidents using radar to detect the relative position of other vehicles and warn the driver with a combination of visual and audio alerts.

 

The ACC technology uses advanced radar to scan for vehicles in front of Flex at 20 times per second. The sensor can detect vehicles up to 150 yards away and detect speed changes as small as ¼ mph. When the system is activated, it functions like normal cruise control with the exception of being able to slow down the car when vehicles in front are detected to be slowing down. When traffic has cleared, the vehicle resumes the set speed. Four distance settings accommodate a range of driving styles and road conditions. The driver can set distance, speed and the time gap between vehicles.

 

Fuel economy bolstered by engines, technologiesUnder the hood, Flex’s new base engine delivers even more efficiency and performance with the addition of twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) to the 3.5-liter V6.

 

The upgraded 3.5-liter Ti-VCT V6 engine provides 285 horsepower – an approximate 20 horsepower increase from the previous engine – and 255 lb.-ft. of torque. The new Flex also is projected to deliver 1 mpg more fuel economy, with projected fuel economy of 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

 

This efficient V6 allows precise, variable control of valve overlap, or the window of time in which both the intake and exhaust valves in an engine are open at the same time. By adjusting overlap continuously, the engine can operate at optimum settings for peak fuel economy or peak power output as conditions demand.

 

The popular 3.5-liter EcoBoost^® V6 remains on the new Flex, bringing the fuel economy of V6 engines with all-wheel-drive capability and V8-like performance of 355 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque.

 

A key contributor to EcoBoost fuel efficiency is direct injection of gasoline. This system precisely delivers a fine mist of fuel directly into each cylinder for optimal performance, economy and emissions.

 

EcoBoost engines are fundamental to the Ford strategy of providing technologically advanced, high-output, smaller-displacement powertrains that deliver exceptional fuel economy and uncompromised performance for millions of drivers around the world. By 2013, more than 90 percent of Ford’s North American lineup will be available with EcoBoost technology. Ford holds more than 125 patents on its EcoBoost engine technology.

 

Both engines are mated to a six-speed SelectShift Automatic^® transmission.

 

The SelectShift advanced gearbox offers the driver a choice between fully automatic operation and manual control. With SelectShift with EcoBoost, paddle shifters are integrated into the steering wheel spokes. Intuitive to operate, a squeeze back on either paddle will deliver an upshift, while a gentle push forward on either paddle will induce a matched-rev downshift. SelectShift won’t second-guess the driver with an override shift; manual control is truly manually controlled. The thumb shift is new for 2013 with the standard engine models.

 

Both engines also are made more efficient with EPAS (electric power-assisted steering). EPAS improves fuel economy approximately 4 percent and reduces emissions while improving steering performance primarily because the steering system is powered by an electric motor connected to the vehicle’s battery, instead of engine-mounted hydraulic pump steering systems.

 

In addition, the new Flex’s battery management system operates the vehicle’s power supply system in a more economical manner to save fuel. The system:

 

• Allows the alternator and system voltage to be controlled based on battery condition, vehicle operating state and electrical load status
• Provides feedback to the vehicle regarding battery condition for active load management and battery diagnostics
• Monitors battery temperature (higher voltage in lower temperatures, lower voltage in higher temperatures), extending the battery life

Fresh new look, touches – inside and out
Flex’s new front end rounds out the previously boxy edges, creating more visual harmony between the front and the rest of the vehicle. The signature Ford blue oval has been removed from the front, which now solely bears the Flex badge.

 

In the rear, Flex now has standard dual exhaust and available rear appliqué.

 

Inside the Flex customers will find a modern, sophisticated driver zone with new clusters, steering wheel and electronic finish panels, as well as new seat trim and foam.

 

Class-exclusives include the available second-row refrigerated console and the latest generation of MyFord Touch with SYNC.

 

Appearance Package and paint, wheel choices
Also new is an Appearance Package on Limited and SEL models that includes an available two-tone roof and mirrors, 20-inch machined aluminum wheels with painted pockets, leather seats, unique door trim panels and other interior upgrades for a truly distinctive, premium look and feel.

 

The new Flex comes in nine exterior colors, including three new colors for the 2013 model year: Ruby Red, Deep Impact Blue and Kodiak Brown. Customers also can choose from body-color roofs, or two-tone with white, gray or black available on the Appearance Package.

 

Six wheel styles are available for Flex as well.

 

Production
The Ford Flex is built at Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario, Canada.