Ford Vehicles to Become WiFi Hot-Spots

Sync, the popular in-car communications and entertainment system featured in Ford vehicles, is integrating WiFi into its next generation of Sync vehicles.

In next year's Ford model vehicle, owners will be able to insert a USB mobile broadband modem into Sync's USB port and a secure wireless connection will be broadcast throughout the vehicle, allowing WiFi-enabled devices access to the Internet. Ford President of the Americas, Mark Fields said in a press release, "While you're driving to grandma's house, your spouse can be finishing the holiday shopping and the kids can be chatting with friends and updating their Facebook profiles." With consumers becoming increasingly dependent on constant Internet access, Sync's WiFi capability has the potential to seize the largest portion of the in car WiFi market. Presently, individuals must purchase a separate WiFi hot spot router and pay a monthly access fee. With Sync, installation is done in the factory and no router is necessary outside of the USB modem. "And you're not paying for yet another mobile subscription or piece of hardware because Ford will let you use technology you already have", Mark Fields said in the press release. Integrating WiFI through USB allows Ford to continually update Sync to work with newer technology. Doug VanDagens, director of Ford's Connected Services Solutions Organization, said about possible new technology, "We've solved that problem by making SYNC work with just about any technology you plug into it. By leveraging a user's existing hardware, which can be upgraded independent of SYNC, we've helped ensure ‘forward compatibility' with whatever connectivity technology comes next."