Ford's Alan Mulally kicks off 2010 International CES with Opening day keynote address

* Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally will deliver the opening keynote address at the
2010 CES in Las Vegas at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010, in the Hilton Theater

* Mulally expected to unveil Ford's latest innovations and announce new initiatives related to Ford's industry-leading, voice-activated SYNC® communications technology

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 21, 2009 – Ford Motor Company announced today that Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer, will deliver the opening keynote address at the 2010 International CES® in Las Vegas on Jan. 7 at 8:30 a.m. PST. As part of his remarks, Mulally will reveal Ford's latest innovations and announce new technology developments related to Ford's popular, voice-activated SYNC technology.

"Ford continues to lead by bringing together the automobile and consumer electronics industries," said Mulally, who also headlined at 2009 International CES. "With the introduction of SYNC, we enabled our technology partners to allow consumers to use their mobile devices through the automobile in a safer way. At CES, we will show how Ford vehicles will become docking stations for mobile devices, thanks to our alliances with key technology players, and we will demonstrate how voice activation will be the key technology for future in-car experiences."

Ford has made one of the remaining "un-wired" places – the automobile – a connected destination for mobile devices.
Ford SYNC has enabled an interaction that consumers have come to expect from every other aspect of their lives – their televisions, personal computers and mobile devices – all while helping reduce driver distraction. Ford has applied best practices from the technology and telecommunications industries, moving from hardware- to software-based platforms and bringing to market new innovations and applications for vehicle buyers at unprecedented speeds and rates.

"Alan Mulally has positioned Ford as a leading innovator in the automotive industry, and we are pleased to welcome him back to CES," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Electronics Association, the producer of the International CES. "For the auto industry and all other businesses that use technology, CES is the single must-attend event where business gets done."

CES is the world's largest consumer technology trade show and takes place Jan. 7-10, 2010.

Yesterday, at CES, Ford announced upgrades to Sync with new goodies like audible turn-by-turn directions, a business and point of interest search capability and traffic rerouting, today they've announced plans to unleash the system in Europe and Asia and hinted at a conceptual next generation of Sync.

Let's get the boring stuff out of the way first. Beginning in 2010, Ford will introduce Sync in European countries in a bevy of native languages and then it will migrate to Japan and other Asian Pacific nations as well as Australia (no response on whether or not it will berate you in an Aussie accent for hooning, mate).

Ford is also announcing that it has partnered with the professional frustration-generating nerds at Best Buy's "Geek Squad" for promotion and technical support deal. Tech support? Whatever for? Well, for starters, you'll now be able to download new applications and software updates onto a USB drive and update your system. Since a huge swath of buyers are technologically inept, this is easier than clogging dealer service bays.

But what of the next-gen Sync? Well, we've seen a demo of the thing and although we can't yet spill the beans on what car it'll be displayed in, we can talk about its impressive levels of HAL 9000-like interactivity with all of the creepiness you can imagine. It even has an interactive avatar named Eva who looks like a more bookish version of Dot Matrix from the long-defunct, Saturday morning CGI kids show ReBoot. Eva interacts with the driver, manages information, handles navigation duties, and surfs the internet for you all while being generally helpful. Eva is nice, but the system behind her is more interesting. Ford is working towards a more technologically integrated future by integrating today's hardware with bleeding edge software concepts to birth solutions that seem decades away.

This concept centers around the mantra of "Be Clear, Be Attentive, Be Approachable, and Be Connected." The idea is to make being connected to the wider web and the world easier, and voice controlled. The system would do things like manage your calender and actively remind the driver of today's tasks, search the internet by voice command for a necessary article (or hilarious and informative posts on Jalopnik) and then read it to you, set up meetings with colleagues, suggest music playlists to augment your moods, and generally manage your mobile life. For all you techy nerds out there, Ford is even working on applications that can control downloaded apps on your Blackberry or iPhone by way of your steering wheel. Ford is positioning this concept as "Car as Companion," and the mockup we saw delivers on that. It's a vision of a Minority Report future, yes, but there are inevitably customers who would go nuts for it.

You'll hear more about Eva, and the next generation Sync concept when it's unveiled live at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

Ford ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR CONTINUED IN-CAR CONNECTIVITY LEADERSHIP, NEW SYNC FEATURES

*Ford’s technology leadership, modeled after the quick pace of consumer electronics industry, continues delivering affordable, smart innovations to millions of customers

*Ford SYNC goes global in 2010 starting in Europe, then migrates to Asia Pacific and Australia

*Ford launches new SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information feature in the U.S., providing drivers personalized real-time information with no monthly subscription fees for the first three years

*Ford hints at the future of in-car connectivity with totally configurable cockpit concept with intuitive, conversational electronic personal assistant

*Ford partners with retail electronics giant Best Buy to help build SYNC awareness and provide technical support through its Geek Squad network

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2009 – Ford today announced plans to globalize its affordable industry-leading SYNC technologies and services at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and introduced new features aimed at further growing its in-vehicle connectivity leadership.

“No one in the automotive industry offers this level of connectivity as simply and affordably as Ford,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally, who delivered his first keynote address at CES Thursday. “Our SYNC platform links customers from their vehicles to their hand-held devices to the internet — a level of connectivity that will continue to expand as we integrate new and emerging applications from our industry-leading partners.”

Mulally, along with Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Global Product Development, and top members of Ford’s Connected Services team, announced a new set of SYNC services that leverage industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS technology and a customer’s Bluetooth-capable mobile phone to deliver personalized traffic reports, precise turn-by-turn driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather – without the need for a built-in navigation system.

Launching this summer, SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information allows customers to move seamlessly between their home, car and office, staying connected wherever they go. The new service will be available on all 2010 model-year, SYNC-equipped Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models with no monthly subscription fees for the first three years.

Ford SYNC is the industry’s first system to seamlessly integrate a variety of technologies to provide emergency, diagnostic and information services as well as traffic reports and directions on the road. They include: on-board text-to-speech engine, a customer’s mobile phone and network, data-over-voice technology, an off-board routing engine and voice portal, text messaging, an existing mobile application and the power of the Internet.

Ford is partnering with Microsoft and other recognized companies – INRIX, TeleNav, Tellme (a Microsoft subsidiary), M/A-COM and Airbiquity — to enable the new services to connect to real-time data.

“Our goal is to lead the industry into a new era of in-vehicle connectivity,” Kuzak said. “Using a SYNC platform that is more capable than ever before, we are taking ideas from technology companies and bringing them into the vehicle. The power of the partnership really knows no bounds.”

Kuzak said a key difference an important competitive advantage for Ford is that the company has no interest in developing its own proprietary system.

“We have an open system that accepts hardware and software products and applications,” he said. “We are striving to deliver technologies and applications to customers with speed, scale and affordability that no other automaker can touch.”

In addition, the SYNC system is upgradeable. Customers can add new features and applications by using simple download features. Plus, all the new features come without a monthly service fee for three years.

The success of SYNC is creating demand outside North America. Ford will be a making the award-winning system available globally starting in 2010, first in Europe, then migrating to Asia Pacific and Australia.

Ford also is redefining how customers react and interact with a vehicle’s controls and displays, including making voice recognition more natural and conversational. The first breakthrough in Ford’s Human Machine Interface (HMI) strategy is SmartGauge with EcoGuide, which launches on the new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids this spring. SmartGauge with EcoGuide is an innovative new instrument cluster that provides real-time information and “coaches” drivers on how to achieve maximum fuel efficiency in their hybrids.

On Thursday, Ford offered a glimpse into the future with a new, more powerful HMI that hints at how Ford’s future interior environments could function one day. It takes SYNC to the next level through the use of configurable controls and the use of an electronic personal assistant, or “avatar,” named Eva.

Engaged through conversational speech, Eva acts as the liaison to the vehicle’s connectivity and infotainment features, including SYNC and the Internet.

“Ford is all about making the journey from point A to point B a more enjoyable and richer experience, with intuitive, easy-to-use controls and voice-activated, hands-free operation,” said Jim Buczkowski, director of Electronics Systems Engineering.
“We want to create a truly a rich driving environment where there is no compromise in connectivity – where everything you expect will be at your fingertips or voice command, integrated into your drive with minimal distraction.” he added.

Ford also announced a new partnership with leading electronics retailer Best Buy, to help build SYNC awareness and provide tech support through its Geek Squad.

“It’s through partnership like Best Buy, Microsoft and countless others,” said Mulally, “that we are building new roads, connecting more people than ever, making connectivity technology affordable for millions, today and into the future.”

First, lets talk conceptually for a moment. Instead of doing all the grunt work and developing the entire system and everything on the computational back-end internally, Ford has partnered with a number of the worlds software and telematics companies. By building a hardware platform onto which those technologies can be operated with minimal changes, Ford is reducing time to market and adapting the work of established leaders for use in the car.

But what are those upgrades?

You can now ask Sync to find a business and it will provide voice prompt directions in cars without a screen, or text message the directions to your mobile phone. This is done completely "off-board" via a wireless connection to the internet and a partnership with online service partners. The system can also now find the nearest cheap gas and guide you to it, and it can warn you of upcoming traffic congestion and suggest alternate routes to save time.

Another interesting feature added to syncmyride.com is the information services. Log on and select the headline news, or perhaps you're closely following the Detroit Lions, save your preferences and when you're driving around town you can ask it to pull up the scores so you can find out how badly those fellas in Honolulu Blue got whipped by a team of fifth graders. The service is free for three years with all new Ford products.

In addition to the new features, there are little tweaks that provide a simpler user experience. Things like more shortcut commands such as "directions to home" make the system more user friendly overall. The traffic, information and directions feature can also be synced (ha) to a Bluetooth phone and then ported to any Ford product with the Sync System.

Consider this: The original iteration of Sync was first introduced in the 2007 Ford Focus, and it was so good, people overlooked the pugliness of the Focus and bought it anyway. The only problem with this news is that as far as we know, is that there aren't any hideous Ford products coming out any time soon, so they're going to have a hard time building enough units to meet demand.

NEW FORD SYNC FEATURES HELP DRIVERS SAVE TIME, FUEL WITH PERSONALIZED NEWS, TRAFFIC DETAILS

LAS VEGAS, Jan.7, 2009 – Ford is expanding its connectivity leadership by introducing exclusive new SYNC real-time information features that deliver personalized news updates to drivers’ mobile phones while helping them navigate around trouble spots, saving time and fuel.

“Our vision with SYNC is to be a leader in connectivity, making it affordable for millions – just as Ford has done with safety and fuel-saving technologies,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally. “In less than 18 months since we launched SYNC, Ford has delivered two more major new features, and we have more in store.

“We are a car company that through market-driven, customer-focused innovation is learning to think and act like an electronics company, leveraging partnerships with fresh, innovative technology leaders,” added Mulally, who delivered the Consumer Electronics Show keynote address on Thursday.

The success of SYNC – the award-winning communications and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft – continues to grow. Ford’s game-changing vehicle connectivity model and affordability have helped make it one of the widest technology introductions in the industry, launching on 12 vehicles simultaneously.

SYNC-equipped Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles sell nearly twice as fast as those without, and a Ford survey of SYNC customers showed nearly 80 percent of respondents “definitely would” recommend it to a friend.

Since the introduction of SYNC in the 2008 Ford Focus, Ford quickly has integrated the technology. By summer 2009, Ford’s entire North American lineup will offer this must-have technology, demonstrating its rapid, consumer-driven adoption. Ford expects to have 1 million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road by the third quarter of 2009.

“We define connectivity as a way to keep people moving through their lives – not simply as an on-board computer,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Our approach focuses on connecting people to the information they need, whenever and wherever they need it. These new features are aimed at enhancing the driver’s entire quality of life.”

Ford’s next-generation system – SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information – leverages industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS technology and a customer’s Bluetooth-capable mobile phone. Debuting this spring, it will provide simple hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise turn-by-turn driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather.

The new services will be available on nearly all 2010 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models with no initial monthly subscription fees, thanks to three years of service included with a new vehicle purchase.

“Ford is unique because we continue to build on the power of the SYNC system that lets customers connect to off-board services through their own mobile devices,” said Doug VanDagens, director of Ford’s Connected Services Organization. “With that foundation, there is no limit to the data we can offer. Working with our partners – the best of the best in the technology world – we will continue to provide new services in a timeframe on par with the consumer electronics industry.”

According to 2008 year-end data, Smartphones were a clear consumer must-have, offering such advanced capabilities as a keyboard, Web browser and some PC-like functionality. Research findings suggest that growth in this industry is expected to continue at 40-percent year-over-year.

SYNC’s new suite of services allows customers the ability to integrate with off-board services and provide a personalized infotainment experience to the driver by utilizing the customer’s own phone. That powerful match is what differentiates SYNC in the marketplace and what will expand Ford’s connectivity leadership long-term.

“Today, Ford leads the industry leader in infotainment,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development. “As we transform our vehicle lineup, we intend to continue making smart technology a key differentiator for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products.”

Ford is partnering with Microsoft and other recognized companies – INRIX, TeleNav, Tellme (a Microsoft subsidiary), M/A-COM and Airbiquity — to enable the new services to connect to real-time data.

“We’re excited to see Ford's great innovations developed on top of our Microsoft Auto platform that continue to improve how people spend time in their car,” says Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division.
“The combination of software and services, including the industry leading technology from Microsoft Auto and Tellme, are delivering entirely new voice-enabled experiences that make the time spent in the car more entertaining and more productive,” Bach added.

To take advantage of Traffic, Directions and Information, customers simply have to pair their Bluetooth-enabled phone with SYNC and activate the service via www.syncmyride.com.
Once that’s complete, the feature becomes “portable,” meaning customers can access the information in any Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle equipped with SYNC and the Traffic, Directions and Information function.

Traffic
SYNC’s new traffic feature will literally save drivers time and money by providing personalized traffic reports based on best-in-class content.

“We are able to provide traffic speed, flow and incident information to drivers in 95 markets nationwide,” said VanDagens. “In addition, drivers can personalize the system to alert them of changing road conditions.”

In a text message to the user’s device, drivers will get the location and severity of accidents or new road construction causing areas of heavy congestion. Users can personalize the system to send them an alert before they leave home or have SYNC read the text message in their vehicle.

“SYNC is working for you before you’re even out of bed,” VanDagens said. “That’s what we mean by a quality-of-life experience.”

Directions
According to Telematics Research Group, Inc., navigation-enabled mobile phones are becoming consumers’ top choice for navigation services. This shift will open up new applications and services – and SYNC is positioned to take full advantage of this market shift using its powerful partnership network.

Drivers requesting directions now can use a variety of search criteria including a 14-million-plus business directory to find their destination, be it a favorite coffee shop or the location of a business meeting.

Turn-by-turn directions are downloaded to the vehicle and are spoken to the user over the vehicle’s audio system and displayed on the radio.

Like the new traffic service, directions incorporate real-time traffic information. Through a set of more conversational voice commands, the user need only speak the name, category or “nearest.”

The new directions service also offers users a choice of how they’d like to receive the information:
Automatic connection to business telephone using the driver’s personal device;
Turn-by-turn directions to the business location using the vehicle’s audio system; or
Text message to user’s device with business listing and map.

Information
Another new feature of SYNC will help drivers’ personalize and categorize their favorite media topics, such as sports, weather and news using voice commands or through www.syncmyride.com.

Examples include:
Personalized sports reports featuring scores and highlights for any professional or college team;
Current weather conditions and forecasts based on city, state or zip-code; and
News of all types – entertainment, business, top stories and technology.

“SYNC has been developed to allow users to create their own experiences,” said VanDagens. “Some people may wish to check their stock portfolios; others might want their hometown baseball scores. With SYNC’s unique architecture and the powerful Tellme voice service, there are no boundaries to the information users can access.”

New short-cuts added
SYNC has gotten smarter as well, and is providing a variety of new “short-cut” commands. Users recall comments such as, “Call Joe at work,” and, “Play artist ACDC.” New commands include, “traffic to work,” and, “directions to home.” Using the website, users can save a variety of locations such as home, office and airport – any location in the U.S.

These new capabilities are in addition to SYNC’s established hallmark suite of services, from hands-free, voice-activated cell phone, text messaging and digital media player integration to the more recent security and convenience additions of 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Report.

“We understand how important it is for customers to feel connected to their lives – even on the road,” Kuzak said. “Ford is committed to continue working with the top technology companies in the business to deliver even more of the features consumers really want.”
# # #

We were actually skeptical until we saw the shot of the double-DIN ENV-100 above and realized how nice it would be to have the full array of in-car entertainment, navigation and Internet access incorporated into one touch-screen device capable of fitting into existing dashboards.

Think of the possibilities, without clutter from wires or tacky add-on devices you could control your MP3 player via WiFi or Bluetooth, same for your phone and access the Internet.

Dashboard Devices plan to unveil its range of in-car computers at CES next month. It plans units capable of working with any size DIN slot and even a console that fits into sun visors. [Dashboard Devices via Edmunds]

Still don't believe me that the consumer electronics show is big? How about this diddy: GM's Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner will be delivering a keynote at the event.

The entire spectrum of car electronics will be shown off at CES. Everything from the Ford Sync system to items as small as iPod accessories for the car.

Warm up those finger and F5 button. January is going to be a long month of refreshing the site to see the latest and greatest from CES and the Detroit Auto Show. [WSJ] (Image)