As reported by US publication Ford Authority, Ford’s digital design officer Doug Field said the SYNC4 infotainment system in the Ranger and most other Blue Oval products will be replaced by a new system at a yet-to-be determined date.
The Ranger will reportedly be the one of the first models to move to the Ford Digital Experience (FDE) system, with the ute also gaining Ford’s ‘BlueCruise’ semi-autonomous driving technology.
“Software can sit in several types of electrical layouts, and in our plan, we’ll innovate within a layout that draws from our existing platform instead of building a whole new one,” Field said.
“For example, we will be able to take our very successful Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience that we’ve launched in the Ford Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus and Navigator to many more products like Mustang, Bronco, Ranger, and F-150.”
The FDE system appears to be even more closely aligned with the design of smartphones than SYNC4, while also adopting Google built-in technology.
Meanwhile, BlueCruise is Ford’s most advanced semi-autonomous driving technology available in the US, allowing for hands-free driving on more than 200,000km of North American roads, and over 130,000km in Europe.
Though it’s set to be added to the Ranger, BlueCruise has yet to debut in Australia, where semi-autonomous driving technology is subject to more stringent regulations.
Tesla hasn’t received approval to use its ‘Full Self-Driving’ system in Australia, with only the less-equipped ‘Autopilot’ available to local owners.
It’s not yet known whether the adoption of FDE and BlueCruise will come as a part of a mid-life update for the Ranger – which launched globally in late 2021 – or in its next generation.
Both the Ranger PHEV (plug-in hybrid) and Super Duty will retain the SYNC4 system.
Discussion about this post