Ford SYNC allows developers to develop software applications running on a mobile telephone and interacting with the car’s systems. Thanks to this new platform drivers can hands-free control the applications either via voice commands or via the vehicle controls.
Ford SYNC is currently available for software applications running on the Android and the BlackBerry platforms. The platform will be available for other mobile telephones at a later stage.
According to Ford’s developers web site, SYNC allows the following:
- Create a voice UI for your application using the in-vehicle speech recognition system.
- Write information to the radio head display or in-vehicle touchscreen.
- Speak text using text-to-speech engine.
- Use the in-vehicle menu system to provide commands or options for your mobile application.
- Get button presses from the radio and steering wheel controls.
- Receive vehicle data (speed, GPS location, fuel economy, etc.)
The following clip demonstrates the OpenBeak app that allows you to access your twitter account while driving the car.
The following clip demonstrates the Pandora app that allows you to listen to your favorite music on pandora web site while driving the car.
