Sygic, the lucky duck, is now, officially, the first GPS app to partner with Ford. As of, well, now, Sygic’s car navigation app is optimized to work seamlessly with Ford’s SYNC 3 vehicle touchscreen.
The two companies joined forces to build an AppLink® capability between Sygic and SYNC that will allow users to project navigation apps directly from a smartphone to the SYNC 3 vehicle touchscreen. This new capability works to keep eyes on the road and hands on the wheel by projecting the navigation information onto the touchscreen and leveraging voice recognition commands.
Sygic CEO Michal Štencl said, “Sygic is committed to exploring the boundaries of navigation, a philosophy that has directly contributed to our enduring reputation as the leader in navigation for connected cars. We look forward to unveiling new cutting-edge premium features and further developments in our global partnership portfolio throughout 2017.”
When a smartphone is paired to a Ford vehicle via USB cable, control of the Sygic app is removed from the smartphone. The app is automatically projected to the vehicle touchscreen and linked to voice controls, making navigation apps more convenient to manage. The technology aims to reduce a driver’s urge to pick up and look at their mobile device.
According to a 2015 study by the Pew Research Center, two-thirds of Americans are now smartphone users. Of more than 1,600 smartphone users who participated in the Pew study, 67 percent said they use their smartphones at least occasionally for turn-by-turn navigation while driving. Thirty-one percent said they frequently use navigation apps via their smartphones.
Sygic is the first mobile navigation app creator to take advantage of Ford’s AppLink capability to move mobile navigation from the phone screen to the in-vehicle touch screen. Available in more than 200 countries and about 40 languages, Sygic technology is optimized to work seamlessly with Ford SYNC 3 – giving drivers more choice in how they navigate. The Sygic Car Navigation app will launch on 2018 Ford vehicles.
“With most Americans now using a smartphone, and the majority of those using it for navigation, Ford is proud to introduce this new capability,” said Don Butler, executive director, Ford Connected Vehicle and Services. “We expect this option for mobile navigation will help boost safety by keeping drivers’ eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.”
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