Ford Motor Co. and INRIX Inc. are rolling out plans for new services compatible with the automaker’s new Sync 4 system, which help drivers find both fuel and the least expensive parking spots.
INRIX officials noted its parking and fuel services will be soon available in Ford vehicles through the all new Sync 4 connected vehicle system with navigation. Starting with the all-electric Mustang Mach-E, Bronco two- and four-door models and all-new F-150, new Sync 4 will offer the latest available traffic, incident, parking, charging and fuel information.
Sync 4 technology also combines conversational voice recognition with internet search, so drivers and passengers always have access to the latest information – from the closest parking spot to the cheapest gas station nearby, according to Ford and INRIX.
(Ford Sync’s with the cloud to offer OTA updates, new features.)
“Customers want connected vehicle technologies to work more like smartphones with real-time, personalized services – and that is exactly what Sync 4 offers, including INRIX’s parking and fuel price innovations,” said Gary Jablonski, manager, Ford Connected Vehicle Infotainment Systems.
“For example, many F-150 customers drive from job to job in new areas where we can help guide them to gas stations and parking spots closest to them, or perhaps a bit further if they are looking for cheaper options,” he said.
Drivers will be able to easily find, compare and navigate to available parking spaces, as well as search for the lowest fuel prices and drive to stations nearby, he added.
(First Look: 2021 Ford F-150 puts premium on power, features — and adds first hybrid.)
INRIX launched the industry’s first dynamic off-street parking service in 2013, followed by the first integrated on-street parking solution in June 2015. Sync 4 will use this technology to direct drivers to the closest street and garage spot, including rates, restrictions and real-time occupancy. INRIX Parking offers access to a parking database for 20,000 cities in 150 countries.
“Since 2008, INRIX has delivered connected services to Ford Sync drivers,” said Bryan Mistele, president and CEO of INRIX. “These services are no longer just a selling point but a requirement – real-time information like traffic, parking and fuel play a critical role in the entire driving experience,” he said.
Using INRIX Fuel drivers can search for nearby stations and view live pricing to find the lowest price for fuel. OPIS by IHS Markit powers the service, providing location, brand and real-time pricing information for more than 380,000 fuel stations around the world.
(As order banks open, Ford upgrades performance of Mustang Mach-E.)
INRIX collects billions of anonymous data points every day from a diverse set of sources, including connected vehicles, cities, DOTs, road weather conditions, journalistic incidents, social media, parking, mobile and other IoT devices.
