MyFord, MyLincoln Touch Systems Re-Establish Ford Techno-Wizard Domination

[Falc'man]

link'en

Just when everyone else was catching up to Ford's standard-bearing infotainment system, the propeller heads in Dearborn have unveiled their next-generation human machine interface, and based on what we've seen it's really, ridiculously good.

The MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch are the next evolutions in Ford's control scheme. It takes the navigation plus Sirius Travel Link system and simplifies and augments all aspects of operation. When Ford approached the problem of the human machine interface (HMI) they decided to resolve it into four distinct groupings, phone, navigation, entertainment, and climate. They put these four segment in the corners of the navi screen and made each report current conditions regardless of how deep you've dug into the file structure.

This is kinda... silly, but Ford's calling it's control scheme a combination of GUI, TUI, and VUI, or graphical, touch, and voice user interface. It takes commands from those inputs and makes them useful for user interfacing, we've seen it, the thing works amazingly well. They've even made it possible to actually talk to your car like a normal human being to get things done. Instead of uttering contrived strings of commands, you can just ask your car to "phone Ray," or what ever. No "Phone" - wait - "DragonMaster" -wait- "Dial" baloney anymore. It's much more natural.

In addition to considerable revisions to control scheme, the new system makes use of the SmartGuages pioneered on the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid and puts those little LCD screens to good use by making them relay information useful to the driver. They're controlled by directional pads on the steering wheel and allow the diver to do almost any control method without taking their hands off the wheel. That and they still look really cool. We can't tell you where they live yet, but you'll be seeing it shortly.

Ford Press Release:

myford TOUCH DEFINES INTUITIVE DRIVER EXPERIENCE: ADVANCED CAPABILITIES ALL VOICE-CONTROLLED NOW

LAS vegas, Jan. 7, 2010 – The new MyFord Touch driver connect technology announced today at the 2010 International CES is designed to be powerful yet intuitive for drivers, blending strengths of the most proven interfaces in consumer electronics – including MP3 players and mobile phones – with a new generation of Ford's award-winning SYNC system.

"MyFord Touch, combined with new SYNC functionality, creates an experience that will cause people to fall in love with their vehicles again," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. "It's not just a technology; it's an experience – one we hope will have people across the globe looking forward to spending time behind the wheel of their vehicle."

MyFord, which will be branded as MyLincoln Touch and MyMercury Touch on respective Lincoln and Mercury brand products, redesigns the in-car interface, mirroring how consumers interact with most devices in their lives using touch-sensitive buttons, touch screens, thumb-wheel controls and voice recognition.

In that respect, MyFord is instantly familiar. Using reconfigurable displays and simplified voice commands, though, MyFord also can present multiple layers of information, just as the driver wants it.

"MyFord really is about managing information," said Jason Johnson, Ford user interface design engineer. "Driving is the priority when you're behind the wheel, so we've made it possible to simplify the content management so customers can drive with minimal distraction. In the end, what MyFord displays is really up to the driver."

MyFord Touch layout
MyFord Touch retains the traditional car interior layout that has existed for decades – instrument cluster in front of the driver, center stack dividing the dashboard – and adds even more voice control plus full-color LCD screens for much of the visual information presentation. The information presented is customizable by the driver using a combination of voice controls, touch-screen technology and five-way cell phone-style buttons mounted on the steering wheel.

MyFord Touch displays information using two 4.2-inch full-color LCD screens flanking an analog speedometer and an 8-inch touch-screen LCD at the top of the center stack. A five-way switch on each side of the steering wheel crossbar – similar to the one found on most mobile phones and MP3 players – controls the information displayed on the corresponding instrument panel screens.

"The steering wheel has all the necessary functions available in a very compact area, right where your hand falls as you grab the wheel," said Johnson. "The five-way buttons will feel familiar to anyone who has used a mobile phone or MP3 player. Drivers aren't forced to use a quirky or unfamiliar interface like a joystick or rotary knob."
The left display, which is controlled by the left five-way controller, features information and settings for the vehicle: fuel economy, mechanical status, safety features.

The right display, controlled by the right five-way controller, contains infotainment information: audio settings, climate control, phone communications and navigation menus.

Those same right-hand functions also appear in the vehicle's center stack, now augmented with capacitive switches and touch-screen technology, which subtly replaces most traditional knobs and switches.

Lincoln center stack applications will take touch-sensitive technology to the next level with fingertip "slider" controls for audio volume and fan speed. Occupants will slide a finger along the touch-sensitive slider bar to adjust settings as an LED chaser gives a visual representation of volume or fan speed.

Available touch-screen display
The 8-inch touch-screen center stack display is the key interface on MyFord Touch. Designers employed a four-corner solution for its layout, representing the four activities most important to customers: phone, navigation, climate and audio/entertainment functions.

Regardless of what menus customers are viewing, a single touch on the appropriate corner will always bring up the desired functionality, and in most cases, a voice command also can be used to adjust the controls.

With the four-corner layout, functions are where they're expected to be, and they're always visible on the screen, so it's clear and easy for users to understand where they are in the system.

Color also is used to give drivers intuitive visual cues between the central 8-inch MyFord Touch display and the instrument-panel-mounted 4.2-inch display. Phone and communications functions always are presented with an orange background, navigation with a green background, climate control with a blue background and audio/entertainment functions with a red background.

SYNC – behind the scenes
Behind the displays of MyFord Touch driver connect technology, the next generation of Ford's award-winning SYNC system runs the show, built using the Microsoft Windows Embedded Auto software platform.

SYNC has evolved from a standalone module providing voice-activated control for mobile devices to a fully integrated platform for Ford vehicles with MyFord – a technology that will become the global interior architecture for all future Ford products.

"With more than a million SYNC-equipped cars on the road already, it's exciting to see Ford continue to push the envelope and explore new applications for Microsoft's Windows Embedded automotive software," said Kevin Dallas, general manager for Microsoft's Windows Embedded Business division. "The car is returning to the place where consumers go to see high tech innovation."

Features available through MyFord Touch, powered by SYNC include:
Media Hub
Additional USB port for a total of two USB 2.0 inputs
SD Card slot
RCA A/V input jacks

Internet Connectivity
Full WiFi capability including Internet "hot spot" connectivity and a built-in browser for use while in "Park" (late availability)
Integrated browser supports tabbed page navigation, "drag" to pan and scroll and a provides a 3-D carousel for bookmark browsing
Support for on-screen and USB-connected keyboards
RSS feed aggregator and text-to-voice reader
Mobile in-car WiFi "hot spot" capability through USB-installed air card or USB mobile broadband modem

Phone
Phone book contact photo download and 3-D carousel browsing
Birthday reminders
Enhanced error correction and reporting

Voice Recognition
Direct speech commands and "flattened structure" for quicker, more responsive voice control
Voice-command activation of selected climate control functions
Voice commands will be available for most radio functions, including AM/FM, HD RadioTM Technology and SIRIUS/XM® Satellite Radio
SIRIUS Game Finder application will facilitate automatic voice tuning for desired sporting events using commands such as "Tune to Detroit Lions game" or "Show NBA games"

Navigation
Improved visual presentation of SYNC Traffic, Directions & Information app including directional arrows, street names, and distance markers
Map-based navigation app provided by TeleNav via an optional
SD Card
SD Card navigation includes SIRIUS Travel LinkTM services such as weather maps, movie listings, gas prices, and sports scores
SD Card navigation also adds cities point-of-interest information including ratings and amenities
Map data includes 3-D visual landmarks

Climate Control
MyTemp personalization allows the driver to store a preferred temperature, which is then accessible with a single touch of the MyTemp button
Different MyTemp settings can be programmed to different keys; multiple drivers in a household can each have unique MyTemp settings

Audio
AM/FM/CD, SIRIUS/XM satellite radio, USB-connected MP3 players and memory sticks
New HD Radio capability
Song tagging capability via HD Radio Technology, allowing listeners to identify song information and store it for later use
Browse tracks by artist, scan lists of tracks with identical names, and browse through devices without having to change audio sources
3-D carousel album cover art and photo viewing displays allow easy scanning of available material, especially combined with Gracenote Media Management
Media player equipped with new "Podcast" source category
Enhanced Bluetooth® audio support including metadata, which allows additional command and control functions for capable mobile devices

Vehicle Setting Personalization
Ambient lighting color control using a 3-D carousel browser
Custom welcome messages
Saved and transferrable user profiles that can be ported between Ford vehicles equipped with MyFord
Door keypad code control using on-screen menus
Where available, Active Park Assist and Rear View Camera displays
Image and video uploading via SD card slot or USB 2.0 ports

SYNC Apps
& Services
Traffic, Directions & Information offers personalized traffic reports, turn-by-turn directions, business search, sports, news and weather via SYNC and the user's mobile phone
Downloadable destinations when coupled with the SD card navigation function; SYNC Service Delivery Network (SDN) will be able to send a destination directly to the vehicle
Vehicle Health Reports will download service reminders and vehicle information directly to the in-car displays
Improved 911 Assist™ capability with GPS location can call for help in the event of an air bag deployment

Flexible, upgradable and ready for global deployment
Built using the latest technology from the Windows Embedded Business at Microsoft, the second generation of SYNC has been designed from the outset to be expandable, allowing it to grow and add new features without requiring new hardware. By employing a Media Hub for interfacing with external devices and media, Ford has helped ensure compatibility with future hardware innovations.

"The Media Hub is really the key to SYNC's new upgradability," said User Interface Design Engineer Johnson. "Take navigation: In the past, map data was stored on a hard drive and updates took hours to load from DVD. With SYNC and MyFord Touch, if you need a map update, you take the old SD card out of the Media Hub and pop in a new one.

"It'll be the first time an automaker will offer something that competes with the cost and ease of personal navigation devices," he added.

The system also has been configured for global deployment from the start, using one hardware package in all regions worldwide. The identical global SYNC hardware will be outfitted with branding, languages and regionally appropriate applications while the host vehicle is on the assembly line, all using WiFi technology.

MyFord technology will not be exclusive to high-end products. As new and refreshed Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury models continue to arrive on the world stage, all will be outfitted with an implementation of MyFord driver connect technology.

"MyFord will become part of the global DNA of Ford products," said Kuzak. "Across different models, different trim levels, even different countries, drivers immediately will know they're behind the wheel of a Ford vehicle equipped with the technology, safety and convenience features they expect."

I hope FG gets some of this. Soon.

New Focus will get it. It needs it, especially here.

I don't know, though. The last time I tried explaining to dad how to navigate through his new phone he almost hit me with it.

[Falc'man]

Some pics. Plenty more good ones in the link above.

[Swordsman88]

hmm, some cool stuff there. I wonder how Ford will integrate this tech into its car's worldwide. We keep hearing about 'one ford' but the funny thing is as we rationalise platforms and engines etc. the tech is not so clear. The FG setup (while great) is not really the same a mondeo and so on. Is this stuff being standardised or is it US only?

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Ford Press Release

Flexible, upgradable and ready for global deployment
Built using the latest technology from the Windows Embedded Business at Microsoft, the second generation of SYNC has been designed from the outset to be expandable, allowing it to grow and add new features without requiring new hardware. By employing a Media Hub for interfacing with external devices and media, Ford has helped ensure compatibility with future hardware innovations

This IMO is a fantastic idea

[csv8]

That would require satellites which I don't think cover Australia. So FORD won't be able to introduce it here. But would be nice

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by csv8

That would require satellites which I don't think cover Australia. So FORD won't be able to introduce it here. But would be nice

Only thing that needs satellite is GPS, which is as you should know, worldwide. Nothing else would use satellite.

[csv8]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

Only thing that needs satellite is GPS, which is as you should know, worldwide. Nothing else would use satellite.

The SIRIUS radio needs satelite...

[eb2fairmont]

Put that in the falcon and it will sell more cars. Given the cost of lcd screens these days it'll probably incurr a small cost penalty

[R-Design]

With VF getting an interior refresh this year, FGII needs this update to stay ahead of the game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNwU4-lxgRU

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by csv8

The SIRIUS radio needs satelite...

Yes, but DAB+ doesn't.

If Ford released something like this in Australia, it would be DAB+ ready, not Sirius ready.

[R-Design]

80% of Fords will use this technology, I like those odds.

Originally Posted by autoblog

Ford began its MyFord Touch presentation with a simple question: "People line up for iPhones – why not cars?" What is it about certain pieces of technology that makes them a "must have"? And since the iPhone is really just a merger of two things we already have (a cell phone and PC), is it possible to blend something into a car that will get 'em lining up around the block? Quite obviously, Ford's hoping the answer is yes.

Originally Posted by autoblog

Besides all the little details, the big picture we took away from the MyFord Touch is Ford is serious. These people knew going halfway wouldn't be good enough. The screens are beautiful. Before seeing MyFord Touch, we already thought that Ford had the best navigation/entertainment stuff in the industry (SYNC is really, really good – especially with Sirius Travel Link). MyFord Touch brings Ford a generation (or two) beyond the competition. In other words, no one could even compete with Ford's old stuff. How on earth will they manage against MyFord Touch?

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/07/m...me-is-awesome/

[Falc'man]

More of an in depth review of the same.

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/...tml?page=0%2C0

How Ford’s Sync Technology Will Turn It Into America’s Most Surprising Consumer Electronics Company [Update]



In fact, according to Vladimir Sejnoha, vice president and chief scientist of Nuance, the next version of Sync actually approaches artificial intelligence. It predicts what word you'll say next based on the string of words you've already spoken. It also "learns," tuning its predictions based on its past interactions with each speaker. Nuance's software breaks down every sound you make into its most basic components and compares them against a giant database it has collected over the past decade. "It's a what-if proposition, millions of times," Sejnoha says. "We don't understand the speech, per se. We're just saying the input signal looks like this sequence of this model, so we're going to guess."

All of which makes sitting in the cockpit of a 2011 MyFord Touch -- enabled car a little disconcerting -- sort of like talking to a cat and having it understand you. Or like talking to a cat and having it listen to you and then go get you a beer. Stored in Nuance's system are more than 10,000 commands associated with driving, allowing you to speak normally to the car. Instead of talking to the dashboard in a stilted series of menu commands, you just say, "I'm hungry," and out comes spoken restaurant advice, matched up with the nav system. If you're in the mood for Oscar Peterson, you don't have to say "music," then "playlists," then "artists"; you just utter the phrase "I'd like to hear some jazz." Up comes every piece of jazz music attached to the car, whether it's in your phone or on your iPod. If you have Sirius Satellite Radio in the car, you can say, "Find talk radio" to pull up your preferences.

..........


The new combination of skills has all the earmarks of being a game changer. "I'd go one step further," says Thilo Koslowski, a VP and lead automotive analyst for Stamford, Connecticut-based Gartner. "MyFord Touch could be a category killer. Right now, Ford has redefined this market, and it has made it very difficult for anybody to enter the space and compete. Ultimately, what Ford is doing is moving the automobile into the next century."

[Franco Cozzo]

I really like things like this, all new cars should be loaded up with cool gadgets.

[Ghiadude]

Originally Posted by Paxton

Yes, but DAB+ doesn't.

If Ford released something like this in Australia, it would be DAB+ ready, not Sirius ready.

DAB has trials running in all cap cities in australia except Tas and NT. It would be a looooong time before DAB rolls out to regional areas and even then coverage will still be a problem(how long have we had digital tv and we still have blackspots)

For this to work it would need sat coverage almost everything else would be a waste of time.

[SSD-85]

This is amazing. Some European and Japanese manufacturers would be proud to have this sort of thing in their cars. Well done Ford America.

Now Ford Australia should at least look at a more scaled down version for the Falcon. Probably something similiar to the Mondeo.

[foxtrot3]

Hi why scale it down????? with electronics becoming more compact and capable every year (every day) they should shove it all in and let the consumer turn off what he doesnt need (does the term "there are unused icons on your desktop" make everyone tremble with fear) after all not every one uses the music player in a phone or a calendar in a computer Cheers MD

[CFOUR]

Looks like a great bit of kit. would be a great addition to the fg2 fpv line up.

[MO]

This is all great stuff but where will it lead is the day coming closer where you no longer drive. Just tell the computer your destination,prefered route and away you go.
Will you have to do a predrive check list check?

[Ford_The_Win]

This is all great stuff but where will it lead is the day coming closer where you no longer drive.

My thoughts exactly. 20 years ago all you got in a car was radio cassette and a couple of warning chimes if you were lucky. In another 20 years cars probably won't require any human input and that's not a good thing IMO

That being said, it's a very impressive looking piece of techno gear.

[Elks]

Originally Posted by Swordsman88

hmm, some cool stuff there. I wonder how Ford will integrate this tech into its car's worldwide. We keep hearing about 'one ford' but the funny thing is as we rationalise platforms and engines etc. the tech is not so clear. The FG setup (while great) is not really the same a mondeo and so on. Is this stuff being standardised or is it US only?

Well the development of the technology is the expensive bit. so having slightly different sized screens and graphics to adapt it for local conditions is relatively cheap. Remember the development of gauges is not cheap either..

[R-Design]

The MyFord global rollout begins. Australian English Mmmmmaaaattttteeeeee!

Originally Posted by DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/

Ford SYNC to Be More Multilingual as Vocabulary Expands to Industry-Leading 19 Languages
•Ford SYNC® to expand its vocabulary from three to 19 languages, as Ford announces global rollout of the in-vehicle connectivity technology


•New languages will be available first in Europe in 2012 with introduction in the Ford Focus


•SYNC language expansion sets an industry benchmark for automotive voice recognition capability


Ford is expanding the reach of Ford SYNC globally with the European launch of its popular voice-controlled connectivity system, with the capability of now offering 19 languages.

SYNC was originally launched in North America in 2007 with three languages. With the additional 16 vernaculars, Ford will offer voice recognition capability, powered by Nuance Communications, in more languages than any other automaker offering voice control.

The expansion brings the convenience of SYNC to a much larger audience of potential customers, said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally, who kicked off the global launch of SYNC this week at the 2011 CeBIT technology show in Hanover, Germany.

"We are pleased to announce that SYNC will soon be available to customers around the world," Mulally said. "It is a smart and simple way to connect drivers with in-car technologies and their digital lives."

Teaching a car to speak

At the heart of SYNC is the speech engine, and Ford is working with its speech technology partner, Nuance Communications, to deliver a similar experience across the multiple languages.

Ford leverages significant investments made by Nuance to support the broad dialect coverage required in larger regions such as the United States. Additionally, regions such as Europe present unique challenges, in part because of the proximity of different countries and the resulting need for multilingual solutions.

For the customer, that means SYNC can recognize 10,000 voice commands in any one of the available 19 languages, and can cope with variances in accents, vocabulary and local dialects.

If a German customer, for example, is driving in Italy, the system can provide directions in German but will use the correct Italian pronunciation for street names.

Within each international market, a unique set of abbreviations for text messaging also has been identified. For example, "cvd," short for "Ci vediamo dopo," was added for SYNC to read aloud, which basically means "See you later" in Italian.

"We had to make sure the system would behave as people expect in different countries and different cultures," said Mark Porter, supervisor, SYNC Product Development. "That means we had to solicit local, native-speaking input for common abbreviations used in SMS messages as well as support different units of distance and date formats."

Song titles and artist names posed further challenges. A German owner, for instance, may have songs by artists of German, American, Spanish and other nationalities on an MP3 player. Due to phonetic differences between the languages, the system must be able to recognize a name whether it's pronounced in German or deep southern American English.

"The in-car experience needs to be global in nature, supporting a variety of languages to ensure all commands, addresses and song titles are recognized, whether you're from Germany, Portugal or France. Localization should not equal limitations," said Arnd Weil, vice president, Nuance Automotive. "Working closely with Ford, we've customized the SYNC experience across multiple languages to ensure drivers in all regions experience the simplicity and convenience that in-car voice technology has to offer."

With the language expansion, SYNC with MyFord Touch will be available in:

•U.S. English
•U.K. English
•Australian English
•European French
•Canadian French
•European Spanish
•U.S. Spanish
•European Portuguese
•Brazilian Portuguese
•German
•Italian
•Dutch
•Russian
•Turkish
•Arabic
•Korean
•Japanese
•Mandarin Chinese
•Taiwanese Mandarin (supported through Mandarin Chinese)


Software, rather than hardware, solutions

As with many SYNC advancements over the years, the expanded language capabilities leverage the system's flexible, software-based platform for a cost-effective and efficient solution.

Using a single, common hardware module equipped with Wi-Fi®, SYNC can be easily configured for language on the assembly line. An on-the-line server connects with the SYNC module wirelessly, determines the appropriate software installation – including language – and downloads the information to the vehicle.

Using a common module and Wi-Fi installation avoids the logistics of stocking unique modules with every possible combination of language and capability offered by SYNC. In fact, Ford would have had to produce more than 90 different hardware modules to accommodate all of the different languages installed at assembly plants around the world.

Voice poised to become primary in-car communication interface

With independent research firms such as Datamonitor predicting that advanced speech recognition in the mobile world will triple by 2014 with similar growth for speech recognition in vehicles, Ford is ahead of the curve with the SYNC global language expansion plan.

"Ford is committed to making voice recognition the primary user interface inside the car throughout the world, helping all drivers keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel," said Jim Buczkowski, a Henry Ford Technical Fellow and director of Electrical and Electronics Systems for Ford Research and Advanced Engineering. "This expansion of SYNC language capabilities is a huge step forward in bringing voice technology to every market Ford serves."

The Ford Focus will be the first vehicle to launch with SYNC in Europe in 2012.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...117020203.html

[Road_Warrior]

Australian English

Yeah boiiii!!!! FGII better have this system come hell or high water...

[mik]

it would be great to see this in the falcon.

[GasoLane]

Great.
More to look at.
More to play with.
More to distract you from what you're supposed to be doing.......

Concentrating on driving from A to B without bumping into anyone else.

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Yeah boiiii!!!! FGII better have this system come hell or high water...

Well, considering Europe is not getting it until 2012, what makes you think Australia is going to beat them & get it in 2011?? I can't see FG2 getting this, we'll get the Territory touch screen I think.

[mik]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Great.
More to look at.
More to play with.
More to distract you from what you're supposed to be doing.......

Concentrating on driving from A to B without bumping into anyone else.

i agree you on some features, but the hmi thingy where you just talk and it changes station on radio, or turns stuff on or off has to be a good thing, and from a purely sales perspective for the falcon with our gadget obsessed society it would seem a good thing.

[aussie muscle]

exciting times. i was disappointed that my BF didn't come with any sort of ipod integration, but it was because ipod came out after BF.

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

In another 20 years cars probably won't require any human input and that's not a good thing IMO :

seeing the way some people drive that wouldn't be a bad thing. let them get on with reading the paper/putting on their make-up and let the car do the driving.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

exciting times. i was disappointed that my BF didn't come with any sort of ipod integration, but it was because ipod came out after BF.

Que?!

I had an iPod when I bought my BA in 2004.

[vztrt]

Terri will indicate what were getting. We know there is a touch screen and voice activation. Maybe we will have to wait a couple of years to get a better version or Ford might grow a pair and actually go hard for once.

[vztrt]

Soon Mullaly will talk about this going to this going Europe.

This is a like feed.

http://stream4.messe.de/dmag/popup/c...ex_silver.html