Author Topic: Auto Tech: Ford's New Sync 3 (Read 7001 times)

Autos_Editor · « **on:** July 06, 2015, 06:26:19 am »

We previewed Ford's new Sync3 infotainment system and the verdict is positive.
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Noto · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2015, 01:41:18 pm »

Sounds like, in theory, the perfect update. Let's see how it performs!

WRX_Pilot · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2015, 09:33:22 pm »

Maybe it works better, but it looks terrible. What is that, Windows 3.1 graphics?

EV-Light · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2015, 09:35:39 pm »

I am going to echo your comment here and say this...I so hope they made a black background as an option.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Boff · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2015, 07:48:01 am »

Yes, Ford really whiffed on the looks of this system. I have MFT on my car, and it looks amazing (especially with the ability to upload wallpaper of my choosing) and works well.

Let's face it...touch screens are not the best way to interface with a car. iDrive FTW.

Areas that hopefully Sync 3 will improve on are entering addresses and browsing my music library. The fact is, though, that the functionality of any system is kneecapped in Canada because of some silly rule that prevents us from having the same apps as in the USA.

tpl · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2015, 08:09:23 am »

Are you sure that is a rule? Or just marketing differentiation.

mlin32 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2015, 08:16:40 am »

I'll echo the statement that touchscreens just aren't optimal for vehicles. But anything is probably an improvement over MyFordTouch. I spent a lot of the weekend cursing at the system in my vehicle; whoever designed it has never actually driven a car.

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2015, 10:21:52 am »

Quote from: mlin32 on July 07, 2015, 08:16:40 am

I'll echo the statement that touchscreens just aren't optimal for vehicles. But anything is probably an improvement over MyFordTouch. I spent a lot of the weekend cursing at the system in my vehicle; whoever designed it has never actually driven a car.

I've had a number of Fords as rentals over the years. No issues with Sync or MFT. The only one that rivals it is uConnect in Chryslers, which is excellent.

iDrive is still poor. You fumble to find the control puck, then look at the screen to see which hotspot you're on, then click through sub-menus. Not as easy as looking over and touching a hotspot on the screen.

OliverD · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2015, 10:27:04 am »

Yeah, that doesn't look great at all. Ford needs to hire some proper UX designers.

CountOfGamble · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2015, 01:12:19 pm »

Releasing a new system in 2015 without Android Auto or Car Play is astonishing. If Hyundai and VW can do it, I'm not sure why Ford can't.

Fobroader · « **Reply #10 on:** July 07, 2015, 01:18:39 pm »

As a techno caveman, "rumble grumble wheres my abacus?!?!", I do have to say that I think my Gameboy color could have rivaled this in graphics. But, gimme buttons and dials over this touchscreen malarkey, excuse me, there is a cloud I must go yell at.

mlin32 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 07, 2015, 01:55:02 pm »

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on July 07, 2015, 10:21:52 am

Quote from: mlin32 on July 07, 2015, 08:16:40 am
I'll echo the statement that touchscreens just aren't optimal for vehicles. But anything is probably an improvement over MyFordTouch. I spent a lot of the weekend cursing at the system in my vehicle; whoever designed it has never actually driven a car.

I've had a number of Fords as rentals over the years. No issues with Sync or MFT. The only one that rivals it is uConnect in Chryslers, which is excellent.

iDrive is still poor. You fumble to find the control puck, then look at the screen to see which hotspot you're on, then click through sub-menus. Not as easy as looking over and touching a hotspot on the screen.

Control knobs are good because you don't have to look at where your finger is poking to operate it. The central screen is within your view of peripheral vision. Treat iDrive like a computer mouse. Menus and submenus are side to side. Scrolling is simply twirling your fingers. No need to look below the windshield.

With the MyFordTouch if I want to find a point of interest while driving, I have to look down at the screen, poke, poke, poke. Anything requiring looking down more than 1-2 seconds is catastrophe while driving ("Did the speed limit just change?". "Am I still in my lane?"). You may as well be sending a SMS while driving because that's how distracting it is. Attempt to try to poke in "Rosenheimer Straße" while driving or zooming out on a map while driving, good luck.

EV-Light · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2015, 03:29:55 pm »

Quote from: mlin32 on July 07, 2015, 01:55:02 pm

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on July 07, 2015, 10:21:52 am
Quote from: mlin32 on July 07, 2015, 08:16:40 am
I'll echo the statement that touchscreens just aren't optimal for vehicles. But anything is probably an improvement over MyFordTouch. I spent a lot of the weekend cursing at the system in my vehicle; whoever designed it has never actually driven a car.

I've had a number of Fords as rentals over the years. No issues with Sync or MFT. The only one that rivals it is uConnect in Chryslers, which is excellent.

iDrive is still poor. You fumble to find the control puck, then look at the screen to see which hotspot you're on, then click through sub-menus. Not as easy as looking over and touching a hotspot on the screen.
Control knobs are good because you don't have to look at where your finger is poking to operate it. The central screen is within your view of peripheral vision. Treat iDrive like a computer mouse. Menus and submenus are side to side. Scrolling is simply twirling your fingers. No need to look below the windshield.

With the MyFordTouch if I want to find a point of interest while driving, I have to look down at the screen, poke, poke, poke. Anything requiring looking down more than 1-2 seconds is catastrophe while driving ("Did the speed limit just change?". "Am I still in my lane?"). You may as well be sending a SMS while driving because that's how distracting it is. Attempt to try to poke in "Rosenheimer Straße" while driving or zooming out on a map while driving, good luck.

mmmm I push the voice button and ask for the POI...no reason I'd take my eyes off the road to do that. Actually I don't even bother to type any address, voice commands for the win!

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2015, 03:57:01 pm »

Quote from: mlin32 on July 07, 2015, 01:55:02 pm

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on July 07, 2015, 10:21:52 am
Quote from: mlin32 on July 07, 2015, 08:16:40 am
I'll echo the statement that touchscreens just aren't optimal for vehicles. But anything is probably an improvement over MyFordTouch. I spent a lot of the weekend cursing at the system in my vehicle; whoever designed it has never actually driven a car.

I've had a number of Fords as rentals over the years. No issues with Sync or MFT. The only one that rivals it is uConnect in Chryslers, which is excellent.

iDrive is still poor. You fumble to find the control puck, then look at the screen to see which hotspot you're on, then click through sub-menus. Not as easy as looking over and touching a hotspot on the screen.
Control knobs are good because you don't have to look at where your finger is poking to operate it. The central screen is within your view of peripheral vision. Treat iDrive like a computer mouse. Menus and submenus are side to side. Scrolling is simply twirling your fingers. No need to look below the windshield.

With the MyFordTouch if I want to find a point of interest while driving, I have to look down at the screen, poke, poke, poke. Anything requiring looking down more than 1-2 seconds is catastrophe while driving ("Did the speed limit just change?". "Am I still in my lane?"). You may as well be sending a SMS while driving because that's how distracting it is. Attempt to try to poke in "Rosenheimer Straße" while driving or zooming out on a map while driving, good luck.

You still have to look at the screen with either. The difference is the iDrive requires you to watch where the cursor is hopping, with MFT you just guide your finger to the right spot the first time.

And Tauri is correct, the voice commands work very well with MFT.

mlin32 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2015, 04:17:48 pm »

Interesting. I've had very little luck with the Voice Control on the MyFordTouch........it recognises less than 1/3 of the commands I say correctly the first time. I've better luck with Voice Control systems in BMW, Audi, VW, and Mazda.

pi314 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2015, 05:01:20 pm »

Yeah even with SYNC the voice recognition is pretty good.. though you need to figure out how it pronounces certain albums - or you get strange music pop up

redman · « **Reply #16 on:** July 08, 2015, 10:37:49 am »

QNX is a solid O.S. for the embedded systems market in development since the early 80's by two U.of Waterloo students who founded a separate software company. A mature product used in millions of devices.

I think it's a positive move by Ford considering the application as most O.S. are optimized for personal computers are large, slow and buggy when ported to embedded devices such as car systems.

Neromanceres · « **Reply #17 on:** July 08, 2015, 04:01:52 pm »

Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on July 07, 2015, 10:21:52 am

Quote from: mlin32 on July 07, 2015, 08:16:40 am
I'll echo the statement that touchscreens just aren't optimal for vehicles. But anything is probably an improvement over MyFordTouch. I spent a lot of the weekend cursing at the system in my vehicle; whoever designed it has never actually driven a car.

I've had a number of Fords as rentals over the years. No issues with Sync or MFT. The only one that rivals it is uConnect in Chryslers, which is excellent.

iDrive is still poor. You fumble to find the control puck, then look at the screen to see which hotspot you're on, then click through sub-menus. Not as easy as looking over and touching a hotspot on the screen.

As a note Chryslers uConnect system is also using the BlackBerry QNX micro-kernel.

Great_Big_Abyss · « **Reply #18 on:** July 08, 2015, 04:23:38 pm »

It should integrate better with smartphones.

I want to be able to look up a destination on my phone using Google Maps and plan my route from the comfort of my couch. I should then be able to, once I'm in the car, 'send' my route from my phone to the car. Whether this would use some form of app that you would install on your phone or otherwise, it shouldn't be too difficult. This would also help when in the car. It's probably faster to search for a destination on my phone, rather than spend time fiddling with the screen in the car looking for a destination.

CountOfGamble · « **Reply #19 on:** July 08, 2015, 05:38:49 pm »

Quote from: Great_Big_Abyss on July 08, 2015, 04:23:38 pm

It should integrate better with smartphones.

I want to be able to look up a destination on my phone using Google Maps and plan my route from the comfort of my couch. I should then be able to, once I'm in the car, 'send' my route from my phone to the car. Whether this would use some form of app that you would install on your phone or otherwise, it shouldn't be too difficult. This would also help when in the car. It's probably faster to search for a destination on my phone, rather than spend time fiddling with the screen in the car looking for a destination.

This is available with VW CarNet (US Only) and their new MIB II Composition Media radio coming in 2016 models. It doesn't use Google Maps but rather the map application within the CarNet App.