Ford adds AI tech to Ford Mustang Mach-E
Making its debut in the all-new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s next-generation SYNC – a technology that learns from driver behaviours to make smart suggestions.
It combines conversational speech recognition, internet search results and machine learning intelligence to make time-saving recommendations based upon previous journeys.
Ford showcased its new communication and entertainment system for the first time in Europe via an exclusive virtual event. Also revealed today is Remote Vehicle Setup – a new feature that enables owners to personalise their new car before it arrives – pre-configuring settings from preferred drive modes to ambient cabin colours.
“We’ve worked obsessively to make sure that owning a Mustang Mach-E is the most personal, most connected driving experience achievable,” said Jan Schroll, connectivity manager, Ford of Europe.
“The next-generation SYNC is the smartest version yet and will continue to get smarter the longer you own your car. It is designed to know what you need – and when you need it – so you can just sit back and enjoy the drive.”
Personal touch
The code for Ford’s next generation of SYNC enables more than 80 vehicle settings to be customised in the Mustang Mach-E, from cabin temperature and seat position to ambient lighting, making for a highly personalised in-car experience.
The system can even identify individual drivers by their smartphone or key fob and apply their settings as they approach the vehicle – before they get in – so each family member can instantly experience their own unique cabin, driving and entertainment experience. The system employs a machine learning algorithm to better understand drivers’ habits over time.
Inside the Mustang Mach-E, the next-generation SYNC system features a 15.5-inch full HD touch display complete with familiar pinch, zoom and rotate touch controls.
Mach-E owners also can use their smartphone to unlock their vehicle. With the Phone-as-a-Key feature enabled, the vehicle will instantly recognise who is approaching, unlock the doors and enable their individual driver preferences and settings. If the driver’s smartphone battery runs dry, they can simply enter their personal passcode onto a keypad on the car door.
Finally, Ford claims the next generation of SYNC delivers advanced conversational speech recognition allowing drivers to focus on driving instead of remembering set commands. The system understands natural, everyday speech in 15 European languages, enabling owners to talk to their vehicle just as they would a passenger, letting them control everything from entertainment and navigation features, to cabin environment and phone calls.
The new next-generation SYNC system will be available on select Ford vehicles in Europe beginning with the all-electric Mustang Mach-E. The Mach-E spearheads a rapidly expanding range of electrified vehicles from Ford, and is one of 17 new electrified vehicles the company is introducing to Europe before the end of 2021.
