While CarPlay and Android Auto are some of the options that car owners have today, more often than not we see carmakers use their own infotainment systems. Sometimes these infotainment systems come with a built-in navigation app, but the only downside to such apps is that they aren’t always connected, which means that updated routes, changes to roads, traffic, and so on aren’t taken into consideration.This is where mobile navigation apps such as Waze shine, and the good news for Ford owners with an iPhone is that together with Waze, iPhone users will now be able to project their aps on the built-in displays on Ford dashboards, with Waze being the focus in this particular announcement.
All this requires is the SYNC AppLink, a connected iPhone, the latest version of Waze, and iOS 11.3 or later. Waze itself will continue to run on the iPhone, but microphone and touch controls have been moved over to the car. This means that users won’t need to fiddle around with their phones while they drive and can instead rely on the bigger screen of their dashboard along with voice controls.
According to Don Butler, executive director, connected vehicle platform and product, Ford Motor Company, “Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for people to access the smartphone features, apps and services they care about most in the car, without having to pick up their device. With Waze, our customers get the benefits they’re accustomed to with the added luxury of experiencing them on a bigger screen.”