BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2014 – Ford Motor Company today announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, new parking and personal radio apps for Ford SYNC with Voice Control and AppLink in Europe.
Parkopedia will enable drivers to search 15 million spaces across Europe, and AUPEO! to voice control their favourite music from more than 200 curated radio stations.
“Customers want to integrate their personalised digital lives into their daily drive to ensure they are as connected and streamlined on the move as they are the rest of the day,” said Paul Mascarenas, Ford’s chief technical officer and vice president, Research and Innovation. “These new AppLink partnerships significantly extend the growing range of smartphone apps drivers will be able to access by voice while keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.”
Parkopedia and AUPEO! join the growing number of service providers that have confirmed they are enabling their apps to work with Ford SYNC with Voice Control and AppLink in Europe. Ford has previously announced apps from ADAC; Audioteka; Cityseeker by Wcities; DIE WELT; Eventseeker by Wcities; Glympse; Hotels.com; Kaliki; Spotify; Radioplayer and TomTom.
“The potential for AppLink to help users get the most out of their favourite services has struck home with app developers,” said Duncan Burrell, manager, Ford Connected Services. “And with developers able to integrate AppLink compatibility into their apps using the Ford Developer Program, the possibilities for personalising the in-car experience are endless.”
More than 1.5 million Ford vehicles in North America are already equipped with Ford SYNC with Voice Control and AppLink. Among the first to offer AppLink in Europe is the new Ford EcoSport SUV.
Ford today at Mobile World Congress also launched the innovative “EcoSport Live!” campaign that will tonight kick off in Barcelona with a free YouTube concert featuring 10 emerging talents. Hosted by U.K. TV and radio star Sarah-Jane Crawford, the concert will feature 10 up-and-coming acts and takes place at 21:00 CET. The line-up of talent, which includes, Mickael Miro, Nina Zilli, and Natalie McCool will be broadcast live on Spotify and live-streamed through the Ford of Europe YouTube channel.
For “EcoSport Live!” Ford will loan up to 100 new Ford EcoSport SUVs for up to six months to music, fashion, food and sport bloggers from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the U.K. The bloggers will test Ford SYNC with AppLink and share their experiences of the car on social media. Ford will announce special “EcoSport Live!” events in each of the 10 countries, including local challenges and celebrity drives, that will take place throughout the year.
Customers across Europe also from today have the opportunity to order through Facebook the first of 1,000 EcoSport models in Mars Red, Kinetic Blue, Panther Black or Moondust Silver, in an exclusive online pre-sale event. EcoSport customers can configure their new SUV online and reserve the vehicle via the social networking site.
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.
Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual
markets and employs approximately 47,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and approximately 67,000 people when joint ventures and unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 22 manufacturing facilities (13 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and nine unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.
