That was fascinating and quite informative - thanks Andy!

There were plans to put MyFord Touch into Aussie Fords. I had a nice chat with a Ford guy working there about integration.

​@@BigCar2Sync 2/MyFord Touch was introduced in Australia with the launch of the Falcon FGX and updated Ford Territory in 2014. Ford seemed to hold off on introducing Sync 3 until after their discontinuation in 2016. After that Sync 3 was rolled out pretty quickly across the range including the Ranger. Sync 3 really helped put the BT-50 to shame. The new generation Ranger and Everest have now morphed into the flagship in the Asia Pacific and Sync 4 will launch with it. Even the base single cab ute/truck will have a 12" display as standard. What I find interesting is that the retrofit community have managed to upgrade cars with Sync to 3 and Sync 3 to 4.

Interesting. The Ford Ranger and Mazda B2000 were twins here in the US, and when Ford offered a problematic Bose premium sound system with underseat 6-CD changer unit in the Ranger, Mazda offered a standard single-CD Alpine unit as their premium offering. Those Alpines still seem to be ticking 30 years later. Giving how terribly most Ranger/B-series trucks rusted out here in the upper half of the US, moisture would leak into the cab and short the underseat unit, and if it happened whilst driving, it ran the risk of shorting the entire electrical system, which could be a potentially fatal situation on the interstate.

Absolutely

SO MANY manufacturers should take notes.

And, perhaps more importantly, WHY have government regulators *allowed* car manufacturers to install components that clearly violate current *'distracted driving' laws?!* You can't get a Safety Certificate on a used car in Canada that has one, tiny side marker lens without a specific 'logo' on it, yet *n-o-o-o-o-o-o problem* driving a car in which you *have to* take your eyes off the road for significant periods, numerous times a trip to *_scroll through sub menus to change the heat or radio station!?!_*

Why, it's easy! Just go to system>vehicle>environment>misc>internal>comfort>HVAC>phone>air and there will be onscreen controls for you fan setting. If you want to turn the heat up and down, it's system>vehicle>environment>misc>internal>audio>navigation>coolant control. It literally couldn't be easier.

Elon Musk has failed to understand it.

Having a Kenwood head unit in my Ranger, I have to agree. It has volume buttons (not a dial) and no buttons for station changes, etc, and it's quite difficult to control when driving over bumpy roads, etc. If I knew what I know now, I'd have picked something with buttons on purpose rather than nearly all touchscreen. It just doesn't work well. It's also potentially dangerous trying to focus on hitting a button on a touchscreen while driving 60+ MPH on the freeway....

😂😂😂

lol

Cool. 😂

I _guarantee_ you that whatever NDA he was on for this project expired recently, allowing him to speak freely.

@@cudak888 The timing of the video is probably linked to that.

I guess that was around the time when everyone was trying to jump on the Apple iPod bandwagon and ignoring their own players. Sony did the same putting iPod docks on some of their products despite having their own range of competing MP3 players. Microsoft didn't even bother selling the Zune in Europe. Their subsequent withdrawal from the mobile market leaves a choice between just Apple and many look alike Android phones.

@@MrDuncl The Microsoft team did test it worked in their lab on a regular basis. Not sure why yours didn't work.

@@BigCar2 "worked on my machine"

Zune didn't even work with windows media player so not much of a surprise there. I would have definitely bought one back in the day if I could have just copied files onto it.

@@illdeletethismusic Hey, we developers have been using that line since mainframes. It's accurate, just not helpful.

Not when I was there, but then I was only there for 6 months. That was too long…

Of course the reason Edge now is based on Chromium is because Google were adding code to their websites to slow Edge down, Edge was the superior browser but Google's dominance and their want to remove all compedition meant it would never be a huge success and moving it over to the Chomium engine prevents Google from artifically slowing down it's services. I wish MS had continued with Edge being based on it's own tech just to stand up to Google but alas that didn't happen.

@@dglcomputers1498 even the Chrome version of Edge is faster than the Google version of Chrome

@@oliverstemp9132 Dosn't suprise me!

When BMW and Audi put the control wheel into their cars I stopped desiring them. They couldn’t do touchscreens in all their cars because the screen was too far away from the driver.

Indeed, along with money, it's a big part of why I'm sticking with an older car as long as I can. It's also partly why I still listen to CDs in the car. At least while driving, it's way easier to work the physical buttons on the radio than the touchscreen buttons on my phone. Though I do use my phone for longer-form content like podcasts, where I don't need to touch it for half an hour or more.

I always liked the 80s idea of future cars, with lots of buttons and controls and critical functions be in pads close to steering wheel like in some Japanese cars of the time and Knight 2000 from Knight Rider

Blue&Me has been decent on my 2015 Fiat 500C. Only very occasionally I've had issues connecting to BT. But I mostly use it only for music streaming and calls; I don't use the other features.

2016, you sure ut wasn't Sync 3 and not MyFordTouch?

@@jayxj7785 wasn’t sync3 the one that had Apple CarPlay? That came for the 2017 model year

@@wl2486 I thought Sync 3 came way earlier, like 2014 and up lol

@@jayxj7785 nope. I think my iteration of MFT was just a more streamlined version. Like I said, I actually liked its appearance and I found it pretty usable. Only downside was that you had to press everything very deliberately

Ever hear of an F-35 and all the buggy sensor fusion when they were doing systems/module integration. ?🤔

All the US auto brands have been retreating on the world stage. American executive thinking is all about short-term profits, at the expense of long-term viability and reputation. Even this video reflects that corporate thinking in practice.

What are the other three out of the big four?

@@krzysztofobodzinski2529 FIAT/FCA (They weren't Stellantis at that time), VW and GM.

The system in my Polestar 2 works really well. The climate temp numbers are always visible in the lower screen corners, with a + and - next to each number which you can touch to change the temp

@@SDK2006b It always surprises me how safety conscious volvo/polestar has so many controls delegated to a touchscreen. When they spent so much time in the pre 2000's making safe, ergonomic interiors. Controls that require the eyes to be taken off the road should be the last resort especially for safety conscious volvo/polestar. We had a v90 with sensus, and it was such a pain on anything but straight smooth tarmac. "Want it cooler? Well *bump* now you have the heated seats on full instead" I love volvo's but some of their design desicions are a bit quirky.

It never ceases to amaze me the difference between manufacturers. I had a 2014 Renault Mégane which had no touchscreen, but had an amazing joystick / dial thing which was super easy to use and I loved it, and then I had a 2018 Peugeot 308 where literally everything was on the touch screen as you say, and it was an absolute f*cking turd of a system which constantly forgot what you were using last when you turned the engine off, took ages to boot up and completely spoiled what was otherwise a nice car to drive. I now have a 2021 Toyota Corolla which has a touch screen for satnav and settings etc but crucially it has the a/c and heater controls and screen controls etc all on separate buttons, and it's excellent.

I couldn't agree with you more! Technology must move forward, but just like the wheel, the basics can still be adhered to! High usage items like volume, HVAC controls and seat warming switches should always be physical in nature(if not in function) and quickly/easily accessible almost without taking your eyes off the road! I mean there's a reason a 3 knob with physical response HVAC interface works perfectly; one for temperature, one for fan speed, one for direction/zone. One should not have to deal with a touch screen or sub menu system to access something that gets adjusted so often!

Fair point, but I think there is a compromise that works well and looks good - a mix between a handful of buttons for quick access to things like air con and volume, and a touch screen for things not used as often. I think my Honda has a good balance. Also, don't forget car makers can put some often used controls on the steering wheel..what pisses ne off about touch screens is finger marks and their propensity to attract dust.

Dont caught on Bonehead Truckers ive heard of those company tabs:-). Can you use your own Garmin Dezl if u choose to?

@@CRAPO2011 yes. And of course there’s always the old paper Atlas as a last resort. But the tablet has MANY other issues that aren’t even related to the navigation function. A daily battle it seems.

Agreed.

Glad I o have been able to miss out on that - I hate modern cars with all the colour TV touch screen bullshittery. I got an e46 from 2002 which was about peak car development for my taste before cars became like driving around in an internet café. I've spent waaay more than it's worth on keeping it on the road but there's nothing I like about new cars - they bing and bong for every damn thing, you can't switch the lights off, they're too big, and no-one seems to be able to make a good looking car anymore.....

Automotive sector likes to make hard commitments on unproven tech then compound software project risk. Collectively we don't seem to understand iteration.

_"...bells and whistles _*_infesting_*_ their vehicles."_ Ooo.....that line is _so_ good, I may use it in the future. A perfect way to say it!

The problem is that it usually did have a lot to do with driving. The AC and heater controls were usually integrated into the head unit. Better hope it worked or defrost/AC isn't going to.

What issues did yours have? The warranty was extended to 5-6 years i think or was it 10.

@@CRAPO2011 Clock wouldn't stay set, the XM sometimes would just not work, and our phones wouldn't pair with it sometimes. Then the car would die intermittently.

_[Just realized I've completely changed the topic of the comments by picking up on one line from the above commenter. Sorry, but oh well---here goes.]_ _"A $40k+ USD car should have REAL leather."_ I'll agree with your wanting quality components, but raise you one. I think a USD $40,000. car should / could have a high quality, luxurious looking, long wearing CLOTH interior (or, at least the option to choose that). All back slaps and handshakes to those who like leather, but leather has become _almost_ a standard expectation (even for those who've been kind of 'forced into' having a leather interior). And now, as manufacturers try even harder to 'cheap out', they're actually getting away with installing *_"leatherette",_* a term from the early seventies, which *really means plastic / vinyl.* Seriously? Car buyers have become so brainwashed that "leather is better" that they'll put up with _VINYL SEATS?!_ If manufacturers had put a fraction as much effort into sourcing the latest fabrics for their seats, buyers would be singing their praises, since *fabric already had advantages over leather thirty years ago.* A few *fabric advantages:* > *Cleanability* ---Abuse the cloth seats in a car from the eighties, and with some elbow grease most come up looking clean and almost new. And if you don't abuse them, virtually any spill or stain comes out easily; > *Comfort* ---Not cold in winter; not skin burningly hot in summer; > *Wear* ---The seats in that eighties car likely _still_ have no holes if they weren't abused. Leather? The driver's side seat bolster is guaranteed destroyed, with numerous areas on both front seats worn through, cracked and likely torn. > *Maintenance* ---With a cloth-seated car, you sit and go, with the occasional, cursory vacuuming and maybe a spot cleaning here and there. Leather? Regular, labour intensive cleaning with special saddle soap or leather cleaner, and regular application of leather conditioner, or your seats tend to look like dirty crap in a few years.

A friend traded in her new VAG Skoda for an older model after just 3000 miles because she hated the touch UI, with the climate controls hidden in a touchscreen menu, so much.

A neighbor has an ID.4, and the UI is trash, but so is most of the car. There is evidence of obvious and excessive cost cutting everywhere

@@Noah_E Someone at work has an ID.3 withe steel wheels and fake alloy wheel covers which is really strange for a £30000+ car.

You got the version we’d fixed!

@@BigCar2 Luckily! Got to admit though Sync 4 (their newest version) is really class-leading in my opinion. The graphics are great and it's really intuitive and easy to use. I quite like Sync 3 too but the graphics aren't as good as the new ones. I'll stick with MyFord Touch for a while and I'll eventually upgrade to a Ford with a newer infotainment system! What's your opinion on Sync 3/4?

Also, I worked on a Focus with My Ford Touch, Every time I started the car it would remind me about 911 Assist not being active. Got really annoying.

Ya same here 2014 lincoln mks 3.5 ecoboost (it's a sho in a Tuxedo) and i have sync 2 which even more annoying to use I know ford has done a way the Touch screen for temperature and volume controls because it's a pain to use some times

@@nickcataldo2380 You got it worse, You had a volume slider, Which is even more of a hassle.

@@rturner4205 yes the car is fully loaded so all my options like Massaging AC seats and and heated seats all locked on that 1 screen so far I have not had a problem the car has low mileage on it so I guess that may have save it in a way not as much use. And trust I did not Want a Lincoln I wanted a show but the only sho I found they were high miles on them or they were like 10k over price I pick up my car in 2020 right before the pandemic it had 47k on it and I payed $15,200 for I stole the car so I was not mad at all on that part I like the shos more they look way better. But on the other hand more and more people know about the sho then the mks ecoboost so I guess I have a better sleeper in that way ya know

Mks styling was pretty good especially with the optional polished 20" wheels

If I know any I’d tell you them!

@@BigCar2 Some day we'll get to know how Volkswagen screwed up their software for ID-series.

Compared to my 150.00 garmin gps, the nav was slow

U can upgrade the mft cars to sync 3 unfortunately hardware alone is about 1,500

A bit like the *C.D. / D.V.D. navigation systems* in luxury cars from the early to mid naughties. They were fine _(though that's open to debate)_ when the cars were new, but manufacturers weren't going to keep coming up with updated maps, say, 10 years down the road. So, now anyone owning a well preserved car from that time has a useless 'feature'. Luckily---if you can call it that---I'm guessing most of those navigation screens were also used for other functions.

Glad you like it!

Yet the reviews of the latest VAG cars are so critical of the touchscreens that it puts me off buying one. A friend traded in her new Skoda for an older model after just 3000 miles because she couldn't stand the climate controls being hidden down in a touchscreen menu. p.s. about twice a year my 2013 VW Golf fails to put the touchscreen on at all. Other people have had the same happen in theirs. Not a big problem when all it is really needed for is the radio and navigation.

@@MrDuncl Ya oh believe me I know they have issues. I've a 2018 Passat dsg but so far so good

I still own Seicento today and agree. Could repair it myself and its dead simple tech, love it.

Thanks Jonathan - you're the first person to thank me for the 2.5 years of work I did on it (not that I should need thanking - I got paid!).

Do they still sell the mondeo in europe?

@@CRAPO2011 You can find out by going to www.ford.co.uk

2030 is still too early for putting controls into touchscreens not having immediately recognizable physical feedback makes controlling something without looking and concentrating on it impossible. there is a reason why game controllers and computer mice have so many more buttons than in earlier decades, and many of them shaped quite different from each other. smart phones and tablets are looked and focussed on while used, they can get away with touch screen only, even if it is worse in many cases there too.

The problem started with Ford No that's enough. Ford is a guaranteed problem.

Chrysler/dodge/jeep started using touch screens in 2007 and didn't have any issue

I seriously regret installing Windows 11!

Yeah, Win11 is legitimately more problematic too.

The same was said about Vista. Once people got used to the redesign and the bugs were worked out, they lightly reskinned it as Windows 7 and suddenly it was the best OS ever according to many Vista critics. The main challenge with Windows 11 is that Windows 10 was on the market too long and people had got used to its workflow so much it was memory muscle and the simple fact that Windows 11 wasn't ready. Windows 12 with a finished OS and some polishing, will be seen as amazing if history is any guide.

So, it's like Cyberpunk 2077. Rushed to release and then getting the kinks ironed out.

@@jmmorante7576 Yeah and nobody asked for it either. No reason for it, they could have at least continued fixing 10.

That would be my preference.

Peter, both MyLink (internally known as Connected Color Radio) and Sync 3 were made by PASA using much of the same development team.

Yeah, this one had been a LONG time coming.

😎

Glad it helped!

I fully agree, still have it in my 2015 Mustang as well and I think the final iterations work quite well. And since you can do most things with voice commands the old school display unit is not really a problem either.

I agree MFT Sybc 3 works fine and has android auto. Not much more has been improved since then

I take 2015 was the first year of the S550 Chassis mustang(still being produced) i remember ford saying it had the hardware to upgrade to the new sync even though it came with mft. It also has a nice resistive screen

@@CRAPO2011 Yeah 2015 was the first year of S550 Mustang. They changed over to Sync 3 with MY 2016 in the US and with MY 2017 for the export markets.

Any other questions? Maybe I could answer them.

Glad you liked it. It was a fun project.