Ford Motor Co. unveiled new features for its Sync in-car technology designed to turbocharge the company’s financial turnaround and create Ford’s image as the Apple Inc. of the car industry.
The New Software designed by Microsoft known as “Sync” the software system allows you to listen to Internet radio, check movie times and get free maps with turn-by-turn directions, using Sync’s voice commands or 8-inch color touch-screen in the dashboard, in Ford’s spring lineup of cars.

Ford announced they had already sold 1 million vehicles equipped with previous versions of Sync as of May. This year, Ford gave outside developers a chance to integrate their mobile applications with Sync so drivers could use the car’s controls to summon, for example, Pandora Internet radio. (The apps themselves sit on an iPhone or other smart phone.)

Ford is also pairing up with companies such as AOL Inc.’s MapQuest and Google Inc.
The company also introduced MyFord, which lets each driver of a shared car build a profile with personal preferences, such as cabin temperature and a customized home screen. The car would recognize the individual drivers, by either their personal key fobs or their voices, and automatically apply those settings.

So far, Sync appears to be helping Ford with its turnaround. Cars equipped with Sync sell twice as fast as the same models without the technology, said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for global product development.

Of those who bought a car with Sync, about a third said the feature was important, if not crucial, to their decision to buy Ford, and 77% reported they would recommend the vehicle to a friend, Mulally said.

In-vehicle entertainment and information technology is becoming increasingly common in the industry, which is desperately seeking ways to entice buyers in a tight economy.

General Motors Corp. this week, for example, announced a new application that would let owners of its Chevrolet Volt use their smart phones to remotely control a number of settings, from unlocking the doors to starting up the car. The Volt, a plug-in hybrid, is set to come out this year. A similar feature is being implemented on Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

At the same time, some wonder whether the added options would distract drivers from driving.