Ford’s latest SYNC 3 will talk to your house

We’re expecting a slower 2016 for Ford in South Africa after busting out ten new models last year but that doesn’t mean the Blue Oval won’t reveal some interesting technology. Primary amongst these is the new Ford SYNC 3 system which made its public debut at the Consumer Electronics Show this month.

Ford’s new SYNC 3 makes debut in 2016

What does SYNC 3 mean for its drivers? A chance to enjoy the gold-standard in smartphone compatibility; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for starters and a downloadable smartphone application will allow drivers to check fuel levels and other data from their phone.

That has the potential to be gimmicky but being able to ‘sync’ SYNC 3 with your house is ingenious, providing you have the smartest house on the block rigged with some impressive infrastructure.  If it works half as well as it sounds, one will be able to remotely turn the lights on at home and perform other helpful tasks.

SYNC 3 will be easier to use and will once again split operation between touchscreen and buttons for a broader appeal. Music streaming and voice recognition has been improved over the previous generation.

Ford’s Boss Mark Fields took his opportunity on stage to announce the tripling of Ford’s autonomous car fleet in 2016 but did not comment on Ford’s alleged partnership with Google. If anything Fields suggested that there wasn’t much truth to it.

Ford’s SYNC 3 system will most likely make its South African debut in the new Ford Kuga while in other markets the Ford Edge SUV will get it first.