Ford Media Center

Ford, AccuWeather Keep Drivers Weather-Ready with Hyper-Local Forecasts Minute-by-Minute Through SYNC AppLink

  • Ford and AccuWeather now make using the smartphone app easier by enabling it to work with SYNC® AppLink. AccuWeather MinuteCast brings minute-by-minute, hyper-localized weather forecasts to a driver’s exact street address

  • AccuWeather for Ford SYNC AppLink helps drivers plan and time their trips around weather conditions, and gives advance warning of inclement weather

Ford Motor Company and AccuWeather are joining together to integrate one of the country’s leading weather apps featuring hyper-localized weather forecasting into the vehicle.

“The new integration of AccuWeather for Ford SYNC AppLink will bring our customers the most up-to-date weather information while on the road,” said Julius Marchwicki, Ford Connected Services Product manager. “The system is easy to use, and with the addition of MinuteCast, drivers will get minute-by-minute forecasts for up to two hours to help them make safer driving decisions during bad weather.”

AccuWeather, a global leader in digital weather information, is introducing its MinuteCast to Ford SYNC® AppLink customers. The technology uses an exact street address or GPS location to provide minute-by-minute weather forecasting, information about precipitation type, intensity and duration to the driver.

By selecting MinuteCast on the vehicle display menu, the driver will see a static image of the weather condition he or she will soon face, and the time the precipitation is expected to happen on the route. An audio warning will also be delivered. The service is available for a growing list of countries worldwide including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland and Japan.

Steven Smith, chief digital officer for AccuWeather, said the AppLink-enabled AccuWeather app will make getting this information easier for commuters.

“We are thrilled to have our award-winning app available to drivers through SYNC AppLink,” said Smith. “With important features such as severe weather alerts and AccuWeather MinuteCast, our minute-by-minute precipitation forecast, Ford SYNC AppLink is connecting users with the weather information they need when they need it as they travel, to help provide a better driving experience.”

Ford set the benchmark for in-car connectivity with SYNC, which allows drivers to pair their mobile phones, make and receive calls, and operate other features hands-free using voice control.

The new technology will be demonstrated at the 2015 International CES, the largest consumer electronics show, Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas. 

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.  The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty.  Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services.  The company does that through three customer-centered business segments:  Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs.  Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.  Ford employs about 176,000 people worldwide.  More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About AccuWeather, Inc. and AccuWeather.com

Every day over a billion people worldwide rely on AccuWeather to help them plan their lives, protect their businesses, and get more from their day. AccuWeather provides hourly and Minute by Minute forecasts with Superior Accuracy for any longitude/latitude on Earth, with customized content and engaging video presentations available on smart phones, tablets, free wired and mobile Internet sites, connected TVs, and Internet appliances, as well as via radio, television, and newspapers. Founded in 1962 by Dr. Joel N. Myers – a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society who was recognized as one of the top entrepreneurs in American history by Entrepreneur Magazine’s Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurs – AccuWeather also delivers a wide range of highly-customized enterprise solutions to media, business, government, and institutions, as well as news, weather content, and video for more than 180,000 third-party websites. AccuWeather’s CEO, Barry Lee Myers, is an award winning leader in global weather information issues and one of the world’s most recognized advocates for cooperative relationships between government weather agencies and the weather industry. He is a leader in the digital weather information space.

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