Mach-e Voice Commands

[kaslerp]

I submitted the following ideas to Ford to improve the voice commands:-

1) Voice command to switch on/off the heated seats.
2) Voice command to switch on/off the heated steering wheel.
3) Voice command to switch on/off the heated rear window.
4) Voice command to switch on/off the heated windscreen.
5) Voice command to switch on/off max defrost.

You can use the Voice Command to set the temperature (e.g. Set temperature to 22degC) which saves you having to look down at the screen to change the temperature which is a detraction from driving. So any driver action which requires the driver to look away from the road ahead and interferes with their concentration and focus on driving the vehicle is surely is a safety issue. A high percentage of vehicle accidents are caused by a lack of concentration. A prime example is the use of a mobile phone (non-hands free and even hands free) whilst driving.

Ford rejected my idea, not giving any specific reason, apart from what seems like a standard/automated answer shown below:-

‘If your idea was eligible for review per the Rules, Terms and Conditions of our website, evaluation has been based on many factors, but two major elements are: 1) improvement upon current technology, and 2) cost. Our technical specialists have reviewed your idea and concluded that Ford will not be investigating further development of your particular idea, nor acquiring any rights on your behalf.’

It would seem that Ford don’t seem to see Safety as a particularly important issue.

I don’t understand their response. It’s arrogant and is completely contrary to my 40 years of software development experience. They should be compiling the most valuable source of feedback (live customers NOT their in-house opinions) and then prioritising them into their GUI/AI roadmap. At the very least they should be more polite and say your comments are being “added to their wish list and considered for future updates.” Why are they so dismissive, your feedback makes considerable sense.

Is there a formal mechanism to submit such ideas to Ford? Maybe we should create a lobby on this Forum to collectively present ideas and then determine through the Forum which specific enhancements have the most support from its members?

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[kaslerp]

Changing the heated seats between off 1/2/3 is so annoying while on a bumpy road can even take a couple of attempts from the passenger to set it.

Agreed. Dangerous and easy to fix the GUI in my opinion.

 

[hawkeye3point1]

This is very disappointing. I was really hoping that voice commands would eventually replace most of the tradition dash knobs and buttons that have been replaced with touch screen/IP controls.

It is a driving distraction to interact with tiny icons on the touch screen.

The rationale for not doing more voice control is pretty lame if you ask me, the technology and control interface already exists. They would just need to expand the MMEs vocabulary.

As far as cost, eliminating knobs and buttons reduces manufacturing complexity and no doubt is done to lower costs.

The least they should do is add the ability to enlarge screen controls via voice command so it would be easier and quicker to adjust, eg. "hey Ford, enlarge seat heater controls" and then temporarily use the entire screen for that function.

Thanks for your attempts to get Ford to improve MME user friendliness.

 

[mpshizzle]

You're right, my guess is that it is an automated response they gave you. I'm guessing that the reason they rejected you has something to do with their future plans for alexa. We know that they plan to integrate Alexa into future versions of sync 4a, and I'll bet that that integration includes some of the voice commands that you suggested

Either that, or they already have started working on putting it in the current version

 

[MikeC]

You're right, my guess is that it is an automated response they gave you. I'm guessing that the reason they rejected you has something to do with their future plans for alexa. We know that they plan to integrate Alexa into future versions of sync 4a, and I'll bet that that integration includes some of the voice commands that you suggested

Either that, or they already have started working on putting it in the current version

Indeed as you say, it is probably an automated response. You would think by now they would know that ‘lame’ automated responses just generate reactions such as all the replies on this thread. Maybe this is what Ford want, to truly evaluate the need for Voice Commands that allow less distraction from driving. There is some logic in that!

However if Alexa is going to be used in the future then it would be nice for Ford to add that to the reply.

 

[kindofblue]

I found this thread while searching for a list of voice commands. The owner's manual is sparse in that regard.

Heck, our MY has 135+ voice commands you can give it. And it can understand that "engage", "turn on" and "enable" all mean the same thing and do the same thing.

 

[MikeC]

I found this thread while searching for a list of voice commands. The owner's manual is sparse in that regard.

Heck, our MY has 135+ voice commands you can give it. And it can understand that "engage", "turn on" and "enable" all mean the same thing and do the same thing.

I believe that Ford are going to use Alexa for voice commands, but I’ve not seen anything official yet. I am a fan of Alexa but some people are not but hey ho. Like the
the poet John Lydgate wrote and later adapted by President Lincoln: “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.

Any system that Ford use is fine with me as long as it minimises distraction from driving.

 

[Cavalovoador]

I found this thread while searching for a list of voice commands. The owner's manual is sparse in that regard.

Heck, our MY has 135+ voice commands you can give it. And it can understand that "engage", "turn on" and "enable" all mean the same thing and do the same thing.

Looking for the same, did you have any luck?

 

[Maquis]

I wish any time I tried to use an invalid voice command, the car would respond like HAL

 

[kindofblue]

Looking for the same, did you have any luck?

I've just been looking at this this morning and the options are pretty limited IMHO.

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