Ford Motor Company was awarded the “Best Traditional-to-Mobile Transition” award at the Global Mobile Internet Conference (GMIC), Asia’s largest and most influential industry event, for its in-car connectivity technology. The event was held in Beijing from May 7-8, and brought industry leaders from across Asia and other parts of the world, which included global Internet and mobile companies, entrepreneurs, and new mobile startups.
GMC organizers said that Ford’s award-winning SYNC system and SYNC AppLink program, which are both powered by Microsoft, will fundamentally change the way people consume mobile services and products in their cars. Ford, in addition to being the only automaker that exhibited at the GMIC this year, is also the first automaker and first company from a traditional industry to receive an award from the GMIC.
The Ford stand featured the new Ford Focus, which is equipped with the SYNC system and SYNC AppLink. SYNC is Ford’s voice-activated hands-free-in-car communications and infotainment system for mobile phones and other digital media players that allows the driver to make and receive calls and play music from digital devices, helping the driver focus on the road. Sync AppLink is a feature which gives drivers voice control of smartphone apps.
“We’re extremely proud to receive this award, which recognises the ground-breaking work the Ford team is doing in technology,” said Kumar Galhotra, vice president, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific. “At Ford, we consider ourselves to be not just an auto company, but also a technology company. We are delivering class-leading in-car technologies to customers around the world, including technologies which enable our customers to stay connected in a simple and safe way while driving.”
“At Ford, we are committed to bringing the best global technologies to our customers and making them user-friendly,” Galhotra said. “SYNC and SYNC AppLink deliver value to our customers through smart and convenient features that help keep them connected to their digital lives in a safer, simpler and smarter way.”