Ford Sync module enshrined in Computer History Museum
updated 01:00 am EDT, Tue June 19, 2012
First-generation module arrived with 2008 Focus for $395
A first-generation Ford Sync hardware module was celebrated at the Silicon Valley Computer History Musuem on Monday. The device is among the first automotive technologies not found under the hood to be inducted into the museum. Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company and Henry Ford's great grandson, spoke at the induction.
Alex Bochannek, the curator and senior manager of the Computer History Museum said "as cars have transformed into mobile platforms for consumers' communication and entertainment needs, the intersection of automotive and computing developments is becoming an increasingly important area for the museum to consider. The Computer History Museum is pleased to add a first-generation Ford Sync module to its permanent collection in support of our continued efforts to document the effects of computing on society at large."
First launched in the 2008 Ford Focus as a $395 addition, Sync is inexorably linked with Ford, but similar Bluetooth-related technologies have found their way into other manufacturers' vehicles. The Windows CE-based hardware was the first mass-market dashboard communications system to include detailed voice commands.
Technologies inspired by Sync include iLane, OnStar, and Kia's Uvo system. Individual applications available in the current Sync system include 911 Assist, Traffic with directions and information, AppLink, and Ford Work Solutions.
