platform agnostic —
CarPlay and Android Auto coming to all 2017 Ford Sync 3 cars
2016 vehicles with Sync 3 will get an upgrade later this year.
Jonathan M. Gitlin - Jan 4, 2016 4:37 pm UTC
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Android Auto meets Ford.
CarPlay in action. We should have a full review in the coming weeks.
Toyota and QNX have signed on to use Ford's open source SmartDeviceLink software, and other OEMs (PSA Peugeot Citroen, Honda, Mazda, and Subaru) are said to be considering joining.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both going to show up in new Fords this year. On the eve of CES, Ford announced that every 2017 model year car equipped with Sync 3 (its latest infotainment system) will have both smartphone connectivity platforms preinstalled. And if you have a 2016 Ford with Sync 3, there's no need to think any less of it—a software upgrade will be available later this year to bring your car up-to-date.
In addition to adding CarPlay and Android Auto, Sync 3 also supports native apps though a platform called AppLink. The first of these will also arrive this year. Apps include one from the American and Canadian Automobile Associations (AAA and CAA), as well as Glimpse. AppLink is built on an open source program called SmartDeviceLink, and the company also announced today that Toyota, QNX, and UIEvolution are adopting the technology.
SmartDeviceLink is a bridge that allows for easy voice control of smartphone apps, something car companies and regulators are extremely keen on compared to the alternative, where thousands of distracted drivers fumble for touchscreen controls while at the wheel. That it's being adopted by another extremely large OEM as well as the company behind a lot of OEM infotainment systems (QNX) may be a promising development. An infotainment system with true portability and platform agnosticism needs standards, preferably as few competing ones as possible.
Jonathan M. Gitlin Jonathan is the automotive editor at Ars Technica, covering all things car-related. Jonathan lives and works in Washington, D.C.
Email jonathan.gitlin@arstechnica.com // Twitter @drgitlin