SYNC 3 plus Apple CarPlay
All 2017 model-year Ford cars, SUVs, light trucks and electrified vehicles to offer available SYNC(r) 3 voice-activated communications and entertainment system with popular smartphone integrations
(Ford)
DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. said Monday it is expanding its Sync 3 infotainment system to be compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in every one of its 2017 model-year vehicles.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto act as an in-car platform that mimics an Apple or Android smart phone, allowing users to access apps, receive messages and make hands-free phone calls.
Apple CarPlay is available for the iPhone 5 and later models; Android Auto is compatible with Android 5.0 and higher devices.
The move by Ford marks the fastest rollout of the technology by an automaker in the U.S., according to Automotive News. The automaker had held off on offering the integration in its 2016 model-year vehicles.
With the rollout, Ford will have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility in more nameplates than any automaker in the U.S., save for General Motors, Automotive News reports.
"We developed one platform - SYNC 3 - and have been able to quickly offer the technology across our lineup," Chuck Gray, Ford's global director of electrical and electronic systems engineering, said in a release. "Customers considering a new vehicle can now choose any 2017 model year Ford car, SUV, light truck, or electrified vehicle with SYNC 3 and be able to access their favorite apps."