Ford Power-Up Explained

[updated] Ford is an American automaker that has been an integral player on the mainstream auto market for more than one hundred years. Since their initial founding in 1903, Ford has remained relevant on the worldwide mainstream auto market by continuously introducing new and innovative technology and developments into the vehicles they design and produce. The newest exciting development from Ford is called Power-Up. Keep reading to learn more about this advanced technology and what it means for Ford drivers now and into the future. 

What is Ford Power-Up? 

Ford Power-Up is the title Ford has given to all of its newly-supported over-the-air software updates. This new development means that Ford drivers will not have to visit a Ford dealership in order to get their vehicle updated with new software and internal technology. 

Ford aims to transform their vehicles into connected devices that are able to autonomously download over-the-air software updates just like modern smartphones, computers, and other devices that most people use every day. Ford argues that modern cars should be able to do everything that other modern tech-savvy devices can do, and that is what they are attempting to accomplish through their technology. 

The system is supported by Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system. The current and future Ford vehicles that are compatible with Ford Power-Up will also feature Sync 4. Ford’s tech system is compatible with fast, automatic updates. Any updates that are not able to be completed very quickly can be scheduled to download overnight or at another time when you are not using your vehicle. 

What Does This Technology Do? 

So what is the point of Ford Power-Up? It is convenient that this system allows Ford to automatically send over-the-air software updates to their vehicles without requiring those vehicles to be taken into a Ford dealership, but what kind of software updates are included in Ford Power-Up? How will the addition of this new system change the way Ford drivers interact with their vehicles? 

Ford Power-Up has a lot of different functions. Ford vehicles that are equipped with Power-Up feature an improved navigation system that offers destination suggestions and an Apple CarPlay system that displays turn-by-turn directions to your destination via your vehicle’s instrument cluster. 

The Power-Up system also includes—or will soon include—a variety of apps that enhance drivers’ experience on the road. Some are just for fun, such as an upcoming app called Sketch that allows drivers to use their fingers to draw pictures on their vehicle’s in-cabin infotainment screen. 

In addition to these features, it’s compatible with Amazon Alexa and actually allows you to use voice commands to control various functions of your vehicle as well as control other Alexa-connected devices you own—such as smart devices in your home. 

Ford Power-Up has the ability to send updates and upgrades to more than 80 different vehicle modules. Virtually any software-controlled part of a Ford vehicle can be updated and upgraded via the Ford Power-Up system. The tech will also allows drivers to report any issues they have with any software in their vehicle. Ford then uses that feedback from drivers to update their vehicles’ software in order to fix these issues as quickly as possible. 

Which Ford Vehicles Will Come With It? 

Ford has already introduced the technology to multiple Ford vehicle models. The Ford models that are currently compatible with Power-Up technology include the newest models of the Ford F-150 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E in North America. 

In addition to the vehicles that already have this feature, many other Ford vehicles will also be designed to be compatible with Power-Up technology in the near future. In fact, Ford plans to design and produce more than 33 million vehicles that are equipped with Power-Up technology by the year 2028. This might seem like a lofty goal, but Ford has already equipped more than 100,000 vehicles with Power-Up and the system was just introduced in late March of 2021.

Many Ford drivers will need to be patient as they wait for Ford Power-Up, as it might take five or more years for this over-the-air software update technology to reach most Ford vehicles. In the meantime, however, other Ford drivers of select vehicles will be able to experience all that this feature has to offer in their vehicle and enjoy updates as this brand-new system continues to improve over time. 

If you have your heart set on experiencing the feature in your vehicle in the near future, make your next vehicle a Ford model that is already equipped with the Power-Up system—such as the Ford F-150 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Tags: Power-Up, Tech, Technology
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