Ford teams with Microsoft to create FordSync

Ford has teamed up with technology giant Microsoft to create a new in-car digital system dubbed FordSync. Powered by Microsoft Auto software, FordSync is a fully integrated, voice-activated in-car communication and entertainment system. FordSync will interact with a variety of devices including mobile phones and digital music players such as the iPod, Zune, or music phone. This new technology will be phased in starting with 12 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles.

The system will enable users to access mobile phone address books without any wires. Similarly, this new software will allow users to access their music devices by genre, playlist, artist, and song title. All of these tasks will be completed using voice commands.

To further the effort to avoid distracting text menus, FordSync will also allow hands-free calling, the ability to listen to text message and designate one of 20 pre-loaded replies, various different ring tones for accurate call identification, and the ability to enable voice interactivity with any compatible device.

This new system will be available in the 2008 Ford Focus, Fusion, Five Hundred, Edge, Freestyle, Explorer and Sport Trac; Mercury Milan, Montego and Mountaineer; and Lincoln MKX and MKZ. Multilingual versions will be offered.