Investor News

Click here for more on SYNC.

TORONTO -- Ford SYNC^TM technology was named the 2008 Best New Technology by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) at the Canadian International Auto Show.

SYNC is a factory-installed, in-car communications and entertainment system that is designed to change the way consumers use digital media portable music players and mobile phones in their vehicles.

Ford SYNC, developed with Microsoft, is an advanced software platform that provides consumers the convenience and flexibility to bring digital media players -- Apple iPods, and other MP3 players -- and Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones into their vehicles and operate the devices via voice commands or with the steering wheel's redundant radio controls.

Simply put, with SYNC, consumers are able to use their voice to command their digital media players and Bluetooth mobile phones.

"With SYNC, Ford is delivering an unprecedented in-car connectivity experience that today's consumers are looking for," said Barry Engle, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. "Not only does it offer hands-free phone operation and iPod access, it's built on software that can be upgraded and we have recently announced the addition of the emergency 911 Assist."

Ford is revolutionizing the daily drive, making connectivity more affordable and more widely available than ever before.

"The AJAC Best New Technology award was established to allow a group of technical writers to identify new and innovative technology of significant benefit to the consumer -- so much so, that it is likely to be emulated by other manufacturers," explained Canadian Car of the Year and Technology Award chairman Richard Russell at the press conference.

SYNC will be standard on Lincoln vehicles and widely available on Ford vehicles. In most cases, SYNC will be included as standard equipment on high-series models.

SYNC debuted last year on the 2008 Ford Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Edge, Taurus X, Explorer and Sport Trac, and Lincoln MKX and MKZ. The technology will be on all Ford and Lincoln vehicles in the near future.