Ford Motor Co. and Amazon Automotive are teaming up to provide new Ford car buyers the latest in connectivity services.
At a special online media briefing Ned Curic, vice president of Automotive at Amazon; Alex Purdy, head of Business Operations, Ford Enterprise Connectivity (FEC); and Aziz Makkiya, manager – Software Development FEC; talked about how the two companies are moving ahead with their respective technologies.
Chief among the moves by the two companies is the rollout of Ford’s embedded Alexa technology. The two companies have been working together for nearly five years now.
Ford adapting to the technological times
“Software updates are common across billions of connected devices but not yet for vehicles. Ford Power-Up software updates will change that by quickly bringing it to millions of people,” said Purdy. “We’ve invested in more seamless technology so updates can happen while you’re sleeping — making your next ride a better experience.”
This is good news for F-150 buyers. This year alone, Ford will be embedding hardware and software that will operate Amazon’s Alexa system. It will allow drivers to issue commands by voice.
Purdy said the F-150 upgrade is just the beginning. The automaker will be offering the same Alexa software/ hardware embedded technology in more and more Ford vehicles as time goes on.
“We’re excited to work with Amazon to bring powerful new AI-enabled experiences to Ford customers,” said Purdy.
“We believe in the power of teaming up with other innovators. Bringing Ford’s vehicle know-how together with Amazon’s technology expertise will deliver in-vehicle capabilities that help our retail customers travel more enjoyably and with ease, while helping our commercial customers operate more profitably.”
Curic said that the Alexa will initially be delivered through Ford’s Power-Up software system starting this fall. In addition to the F-150, it will be installed in the Bronco, the Edge, the Mustang Mach-E and Ford’s Super-Duty truck customers with SYNC 4 technology.
Purdy said the Alexa program will get its start in North America and won’t be offered in other parts of the world for now.
Makes car more like home
Drivers will be able to use Alexa in their cars much the same way they use it in their homes.
“Say you want to get gas,” Curic said. “You say ‘Alexa, where is the closest gas station?’ You are told. Then you can even pay for the gas through Alexa.”
In addition to offering services is a way that convenient for drivers, the Alexa technology is just safer, Curic said.
“This really reduces driver distraction,” Curic said. “It will also create a meaningful and delightful driving experience for the passengers.”
Inside their vehicle, Ford customers can ask Alexa to control smart home devices, place calls, locate parking and more. Alexa capabilities delivered through Sync 4 technology provide the convenience of hands-free, voice-initiated interactions.
Curic said this is the kind of technology drivers want. He quoted a J.D. Power survey found that 76% who use voice-assistance systems at home want the same technology in their cars. And as time goes on Amazon, through Alexa, will make more programs available to Ford drivers who have the embedded technology.
Makkiya said that Ford vehicles will be connected to the cloud and that this will actually make Alexa and the vehicle itself better. As software updates are needed, they will automatically be downloaded to the Alexa systems in Ford vehicles.
This is a huge time saver. No longer will drivers have to take their vehicles to dealerships. This saves consumers time and keeps dealership lanes free so dealers can earn cash through offering customers repair and maintenance services.
Connectivity makes improvements easier
Over The Air (OTA) service will extend beyond Alexa. Cars these days are run by computers. That’s why the computer chip shortage caused by COVID has been so devastating to auto industry production.
As Ford improves the software running today’s cars, these upgrades can be automatically downloaded to vehicles — meaning they’re basically self-improving. As Ford computer systems collect information on how well the systems are running, this information will be sent back to the automaker.
The company will be able to detect problems much quicker. Instead of finding that during a period of months there is a problem with a system, Ford will be able to quickly analyze information and spot problems as they develop in real time.
For example, Ford engineers used connected vehicle data to quickly identify issues with F-150 zone lighting, Makkiya said. In the past, it might take a car company months, even years, to fix a problem. Now Ford is acting more like a technology company and not a traditional heavy manufacturer, Makkiya said.
Purdy said that the Alexa services will be free for the first three years of ownership.
It’s time to Power-Up
Ford Power-Up software updates will quickly expand to nearly all vehicle computer modules, enabling an update of Ford Co-Pilot360 Technology that adds BlueCruise hands-free highway driving to Intelligent Cruise Control.
This will be delivered to properly equipped F-150 and Mustang Mach-E vehicles with additional software purchases later this year. Ford also plans to address an issue with F-150 and Mustang Mach-E Android Auto connectivity by June.
Customers also will continue to receive new enhancements in the coming weeks. This includes Remote Vehicle Setup and Trip Logs let new Mustang Mach-E customers use the FordPass app to set up profile preferences, including radio presets, in the cloud to be sent to vehicles, while trip logs track battery usage and other driving details on each trip.
During the last two months, 2021 F-150 and Mustang Mach-E customers have begun receiving Ford Power-Up enhancements.
Mustang Mach-E customers in North America and Europe soon will receive Sketch — also referred to as Notes in vehicle menus — for touchscreen drawing and simple gaming.
F-150 Sync 4 and Mustang Mach-E Sync 4A upgrades, including:
- Navigation enhancements automatically make helpful destination suggestions, plus new cloud connectivity combines conversational voice command recognition with internet-based search.
- Apple CarPlay compatibility enhancement to display turn-by-turn navigation in the vehicle’s instrument cluster
- Digital owner’s manual enhancements to continue making the innovative, paperless product guides even more valuable.
During the last two months, 2021 F-150 and Mustang Mach-E customers have begun receiving Ford Power-Up enhancements.
Mustang Mach-E customers in North America and Europe soon will receive Sketch — also referred to as Notes in vehicle menus — for touchscreen drawing and simple gaming.
