Administrator

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Threads
302
Messages
594
Reaction score
2,651
Vehicles
Mach-E
Country flag
Source: https://www.pocket-lint.com/cars/news/ford/150659-garmin-ford-sync-mustang-mach-e

Garmin and Ford team-up for next-gen Sync on the Mustang Mach-E

Ford Mustang Mach-E Garmin Technology Will Be Native in Mach-E Sync System Garmin Ford Mach-E Interior Sync


January 7, 2020

Despite the Mustang Mach-E EV getting a reveal in late-2019, there are still details about the forthcoming electric car trickling out, with the latest details concerning the Sync system it will run.

Garmin has confirmed that it's working with Ford on the next-gen Sync, so that you'll get Garmin systems natively in the Mach-E. That will not only include cloud-based mapping, but also routing specific for electric vehicles and accurate information on range.

There's a real emphasis on specific features for the Mach-E as an electric car. This is important, because some systems we've used so far really don't put the electric car at the centre of things. Tesla, by comparison, feels like a system where everything is working hand-in-glove.

While modern mapping solutions in cars are great for finding the fastest routes and serving up traffic problems, the difficulty that EV drivers face is accurate information about chargers, what state they are in and what speed they offer (which is where Tesla's Supercharger network has a real benefit.)

Hopefully the close partnership with Garmin and Ford will result in a Sync system in the Mach-E that really helps drivers and doesn't leave owners needing to refer to phone apps to find the information they are looking for.

"The introduction of Garmin's innovative navigation features to the SYNC platform in the Mach-E will help ensure that Ford's all electric customer base stays connected at all times," said Matt Munn, Garmin automotive OEM managing director.

The Mustang Mach-E is an electric SUV inspired by Ford's Pony car, but beyond a few design highlights, the similarities stop there. The range of the standard Mach-E will be around 280 miles, it will support 150kW charging and there will also be an AWD option.

The Sync system will run on a huge 15.5-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dash, with support for connected smartphones, supported by a 10.2-inch driver display.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E will be available in late-2020 and it starts from £40,270 in the UK or $43,895 in the US.
Sponsored

 

SSman

Active Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2020
Threads
14
Messages
40
Reaction score
97
Location
WA
Vehicles
X3
Country flag
Was just about to post this. I know they mentioned this during CES, did they also preview it on the Mach-E?
 

hybrid2bev

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
Threads
75
Messages
4,070
Reaction score
11,091
Location
USA
Vehicles
2021 Job 1 Premium4X - EAP Member
Country flag
It'll be interesting to see how the Garmin system compares to how Plug Share and A Better Route Planner work. Maybe the Mach-E will make the EV phone apps unnecessary (except as a backup).
 

JamieGeek

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2019
Threads
82
Messages
3,556
Reaction score
6,746
Location
Southeastern Michigan
Website
spareelectrons.wordpress.com
Vehicles
Mach-E, old: Bolt, C-Max Energi, Focus Electric
Country flag
Except: What does Garmin know about charge locations other than they are a point of interest (in their view)?
 

hybrid2bev

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
Threads
75
Messages
4,070
Reaction score
11,091
Location
USA
Vehicles
2021 Job 1 Premium4X - EAP Member
Country flag
Except: What does Garmin know about charge locations other than they are a point of interest (in their view)?
If it's truly cloud based then I would think that should leave open the possibility of real time charging location status updates from the Ford Pass charging network providers.
 


TOBG

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
95
Reaction score
62
Location
Ohio
Vehicles
2018 Mustang GT, 2021 Mach-E Premium RWD ER
Occupation
Retired
Country flag
I hope that they allow users to post comments on a particular station location like PlugShare. PlugShare also provides a rating 1-10. The station operators also post updates if there are outages when they are repaired.
 

Shihear

Well-Known Member
First Name
Shihear
Joined
Oct 23, 2019
Threads
9
Messages
48
Reaction score
76
Location
La Jolla, San Diego
Vehicles
GT350
Country flag
The cloud-based mapping and routing if paired with real-time traffic data for route planning will remove a major advantage held by smartphone navigation apps (Google & Apple). So if the nav system is able to highlight available charging stations and account for battery range limitations in route planning that will give it an advantage over using Apple Carplay and Auto, and put it on the same level as Tesla's native navigation.
 

macchiaz-o

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jonathan
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Threads
168
Messages
8,157
Reaction score
15,299
Location
🔑 ]not/A/gr8'Place.2.store-mEyePassword[ 👀
Vehicles
MY21 J1 Premium RWD SR
Country flag
Ford's stated that it will show charging stations and so forth, but also stuff like range remaining for assumed destinations such as Home and Work.

Google Maps is currently working on improvements for EV drivers. At the moment, Google Maps has an "Electric vehicle settings" section of its app settings. Here, you can configure compatible plugs.

After setting that up, you can search for "electric vehicle charging stations" and it will plot them on the map.

Kind of primitive for now, but I'm assuming it will improve significantly. In the mean time, I'd expect to be using the car's built in maps and apps like PlugShare.
 

Billyk24

Well-Known Member
First Name
William
Joined
Nov 29, 2019
Threads
88
Messages
1,581
Reaction score
792
Location
PA
Vehicles
Ford C-Max Energi, Premium Mach-E ordered
Country flag
Garmin's GPS navigational system is light years ahead of what I have in my 2016 Toyota RAV4 hybrid. It is so bad, I bring along my portable gamin navigational unit on road trips.
 

dbsb3233

Well-Known Member
First Name
TimCO
Joined
Dec 30, 2019
Threads
54
Messages
9,298
Reaction score
10,812
Location
Colorado, USA
Vehicles
2021 Mustang Mach-E FE, 2023 Bronco Sport OB
Occupation
Retired
Country flag
Hard to really tell how good or not this will be, but I like the idea of what Volvo is doing with the XC40 better -- all-in with Android and Google Maps. Still the most widely-used and comfortable map system for the most people.

I know the Mach-e will include Android Auto too, which may be enough, but it probably won't be as clean and seemless as Volvo's.
 

macchiaz-o

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jonathan
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Threads
168
Messages
8,157
Reaction score
15,299
Location
🔑 ]not/A/gr8'Place.2.store-mEyePassword[ 👀
Vehicles
MY21 J1 Premium RWD SR
Country flag
The nice thing with Android Auto is that as your phone and the AA app improve, so does the in-car experience. With Volvo using Android Automotive for its in car system, it is in some ways no different than any other automaker's head unit software. Volvo/Polestar have heavily customized the launcher and other UIs, much like Samsung has done. Will they update it, and for how many years? Will the apps downloaded from the Play Store continue to support the car's head unit for 7+ years? These are the unknowns but given the existing history of firmware and software updates to cars, I'm not hopeful.

What I'd like to know: Does Android Automotive (e.g. in the newest Volvo's or Polestars) support Android Auto? That is, can I project my phone's AA capability to the head unit? If yes, then great -- it's can be essentially upgraded for several years past when Volvo abandons it, by tethering to the latest phone.
 

macchiaz-o

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jonathan
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Threads
168
Messages
8,157
Reaction score
15,299
Location
🔑 ]not/A/gr8'Place.2.store-mEyePassword[ 👀
Vehicles
MY21 J1 Premium RWD SR
Country flag
If it turns out that Volvo's head unit does not support Android Auto (or Apple CarPlay), then this is a significant negative in my book. It's one of the (lesser) reasons I wouldn't buy a Tesla. Same for Toyota and BMW (until maybe very recently?).
Sponsored

 
 




Top