Ford Motor Co. will reportedly drop its partnership with Microsoft Corp. for its next-generation Sync system. Bloomberg News reports “people briefed on the matter” say the Dearborn-based automaker, which has struggled with infotainment and in-vehicle technology ratings in recent years, will base its next Sync on a system from QNX, a subsidiary company of BlackBerry.
DETROIT, MI- Ford Motor Co. will reportedly drop its partnership with Microsoft Corp. for its next-generation Sync system.
Bloomberg News reports“people briefed on the matter” say the Dearborn-based automaker, which has struggled with infotainment and in-vehicle technology ratings in recent years, will base its next Sync on a system from QNX, a subsidiary company of BlackBerry.
QNX creates operating system for hundreds of different vehicles for numerous brands. The company’s CAR Platform for infotainment gives developers of car infotainment systems a blank canvas to leverage a broad choice of mobile apps and content, according to company officials.
“Really, it’s flexibility is the option,” Andy Gryc, QNX senior automotive product marketing manager, told MLive at the Telematics Detroit 2013 conference in Novi. “Flexibility and really trying to make sure the car maker has all the different options at their fingertips (is the main goal).”
Historically, automakers liked to keep things internal, but with the rapid expansion of in-vehicle technologies automakers are combining with software and technology companies.
Ford, in particular, has struggled with maintaining overall quality due to poor reports on its infotainment system. The automaker fell from second place in J.D. Powers' 2011 quality study to near the bottom the past two years.
Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates report the majority of automakers’ systems are deterring and frustrating customers. J.D. Power went so far to say in its 27th annual Initial Quality Study that in-vehicle technologies cause customers more problems in new vehicles than anything else.