Sync 4A Update Overview from Ford - Larger Apple CarPlay Android Auto interface, added dial functionality & more

[Graction]

Just finished reading through all the comments and here are mine:

• I love the knob for controlling multiple functions This is a feature I requested in several polls so I can pretend Ford listened to me. This will be much easier than pressing a button and then using a slider or pressing another virtual button.
• I use Alexa at home and like having it in the car. I don’t pay for the streaming service but like asking for sports scores, game times, weather, random questions, control smart home functions etc. Much faster than Siri.
• Agree with the trunk/frunk/charge port buttons being too small in new design and like the idea of a side view of car with buttons placed by their function. Also these buttons should just be always visible on top of screen or better yet have customizable buttons.
• I only have rear camera so camera button is not needed, but if Ford added customizable buttons people can add as desired.
• My Saab had a night mode button that turned off everything but the speedometer. And even that only displayed the portion required. Honestly didn’t use it that much but was pretty cool to eliminate distractions.

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[ThatGuyLando]

Dear @Ford Motor Company Faster>Larger

 

[tuminatr]

looks somewhat promising... hoping it's not just lipstick on a pig....

Hoping easier access to cameras will be included

pretty easy to access, two buttons and you have them on

 

[macchiaz-o]

My Saab had a night mode button that turned off everything but the speedometer. And even that only displayed the portion required. Honestly didn’t use it that much but was pretty cool to eliminate distractions.

Ford's equivalent is Calm Mode. On the Mach-E, you can hold in the volume knob to start calm mode.

This only replaces the large screen with a dark gray rendering showing a clock and some other minor details. It doesn't go as far as the calm mode on some other Ford products and certainly not what you described from your Saab, but it's still useful.

 

[Jonno21]

pretty easy to access, two buttons and you have them on

One button press too many when stopping to turn into my drive which is very narrow with low walls, on a corner of a narrow road, looking for cars approaching from the front. Plus cars from the rear sometimes trying to undertake me even when I'm indicating to cross the road onto my drive because I have to slow down to crawling speed to turn and then press the camera button (eventually) through the options and they get impatient. One press only, how hard can it be? A computer (which it is) should adapt to the human not the other way around. Bad ergonomics.

 

[Mirak]

pretty easy to access, two buttons and you have them on

That’s too slow and cumbersome, especially with lag, but even without.

 

[sotek2345]

That’s too slow and cumbersome, especially with lag, but even without.

Yup - and sometimes you need to scroll to get to the camera button as well.

 

[Shayne]

The screen does have a no distraction mode, not fully black like you want but hides all the ui behind a really basic screen. I think you just hold the knob button down to activate it.

Right beside the camera below the drive profiles in the controls in the new UI. One tap away. It is that one tap that has everyone going.

 

[ThatGuyLando]

Right beside the camera below the drive profiles in the controls in the new UI. One tap away. It is that one tap that has everyone going.

I wish they would just repurpose the useless parking button to the camera. I saw someone write up a DIY on how to do it, but I'm on the fence on whether I'll be keeping the mach e or not. It's a fun ride, but the software on it is really bad. Even just looking at that new UI, like WHY did they make a car picture take up about 30% of the usable screen space AND add barely visible, tiny access icons in the corner away from the driver?

 

[Mirak]

Even just looking at that new UI, like WHY did they make a car picture take up about 30% of the usable screen space AND add barely visible, tiny access icons in the corner away from the driver?

Because Ford’s UI team loves them some big useless pictures. They did the same thing with the FordPass Home Screen. After enough of us complained about that, instead of ditching the useless picture Ford instead added a “minimize” button to shrink the big useless picture to a small useless picture. L. O. L.

A quick focus group with a handful of folks on this forum - who actually drive Mach Es - could make the UI so much better.

 

[tuminatr]

That’s too slow and cumbersome, especially with lag, but even without.

To be sure we are talking about the same thing here is how I do it. Push the self-park button on the center counsel and the menu will pop up on the sync main screen then touch the camera. I find it to be easy

 

[tuminatr]

One button press too many when stopping to turn into my drive which is very narrow with low walls, on a corner of a narrow road, looking for cars approaching from the front. Plus cars from the rear sometimes trying to undertake me even when I'm indicating to cross the road onto my drive because I have to slow down to crawling speed to turn and then press the camera button (eventually) through the options and they get impatient. One press only, how hard can it be? A computer (which it is) should adapt to the human not the other way around. Bad ergonomics.

To be sure we are talking about the same thing here is how I do it. Push the self-park button on the center counsel and the menu will pop up on the sync main screen then touch the camera. I find it to be easy but YMMV

 

[SashaLondon]

On main screen if you press A/C does it switch off the eHeat if its on or just the ac, or is it an off button for the hcav system?

 

[Shayne]

I wish they would just repurpose the useless parking button to the camera. I saw someone write up a DIY on how to do it, but I'm on the fence on whether I'll be keeping the mach e or not. It's a fun ride, but the software on it is really bad. Even just looking at that new UI, like WHY did they make a car picture take up about 30% of the usable screen space AND add barely visible, tiny access icons in the corner away from the driver?

The software is not that bad all works OK here now. Once booted the software is pretty slick and can do a lot. Once set up for your preferences it is just carplay and my tunes really. Trip/tire pressure small tiles locked would be nice but not required. Another vote for consumption on the IPC also. It is all working good enough for me here and I can be picky but then I am not a camera guy. Even the rear kick is working OK. Get the departure scheduling (preconditioning) working again would be great. That's the only real big software bug I have right now.

On main screen if you press A/C does it switch off the eHeat if its on or just the ac, or is it an off button for the hcav system?

It switches a/c on/off from what I can tell? It would be better for our climate if it was hvac off/on (power button). It has a thermostat and should know if heat or a/c is required when turned on I would assume.

 

[SashaLondon]

Maybe its just me but I mostly spend my time with the eheat button off. Its very annoying to go through to a menu to switch it off.

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