Why MyFord Touch is not in the F-150
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Why MyFord Touch is not in the F-150
Is MyFord Touch all thumbs?
Safety advocates question new Ford touch screens
Jamie LaReau
Automotive News | December 6, 2010 - 12:01 am EST
UPDATED: 12/6/10, 10:13 am ET
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story and headline have been changed to correctly refer to the technology as MyFord Touch, rathern than MyTouch. Ford says the technology also can be referred to as the MyFord system.
Ford Motor Co. says its new touch screens and voice commands reduce driver distraction, but some safety experts are unconvinced.
They say the technology, called MyFord Touch, which controls heating, cooling, cell phones and other functions, take drivers' eyes -- and minds -- off the road for too long.
Throw in some software glitches reported on some vehicles and it adds up to birthing pain for the technology.
MyFord Touch is available on two vehicles, the 2011 Ford Edge and 2011 Lincoln MKX crossovers, which went on sale in August. MyFord Touch will be available on the redesigned 2011 Ford Explorer, which will be in showrooms early next year.
On Lincoln vehicles, the technology is called MyLincoln Touch.
Ford spokesman Alan Hall acknowledges that a "small percentage" of vehicles have software problems. And he says some problems are the result of consumers not knowing how to perform certain functions.
Ford plans to post instructional videos this week on ford.com/technology to help drivers learn MyFord Touch functions.
"If people don't know the proper commands, they think the system isn't working," Hall said. "We're trying to aggressively help change that."
And in about a month Ford will offer a software update to Edge and MKX owners to correct software problems, Hall says.
Because of flawed software, the Sirius Travel Link is not functioning correctly for a "small percentage" of owners, Hall says. Sirius Travel Link is part of MyFord Touch's navigation system. It offers sports scores, movie links and other information delivered by Sirius satellite radio.
MyFord Touch allows drivers to control entertainment, climate, navigation and phone calls with voice commands or on an 8-inch touch screen monitor in the center console.
Say, for example, that a driver is using the entertainment screen on the console and wants to change the cabin temperature.
The driver taps the blue climate bar near the edge of the touch screen, which opens a screen of climate-control icons. Then the driver finds and taps the temperature control icons required to raise or lower the cabin temperature.
Ford's Hall says the touch screen graphics are intuitive, simple and color-coded. The screens have clear icons for the finger to hit, he says.
A driver also could hit a button on the steering wheel and speak to the vehicle using voice recognition. Most conventional ***** and buttons are gone.
"The fact is you don't even have to use the touch screen -- you can use your voice," Hall says. "So we think the way we're going is minimizing distractions for drivers.
But Bill Van Tassel, AAA Auto Club national manager of driver training programs in Orlando, says MyFord Touch makes cell calls easy, tempting drivers to talk even more on their phone as they drive. That's "risky behavior," he says.
Ford, which has cultivated a tech-savvy image, has high hopes for the technology and plans to offer it on all vehicles eventually.
MyFord Touch comes standard on the up-level editions of the Edge. It's part of a $1,000 option package on the mid-level Edge SEL, and the base SE model comes with regular ***** and buttons.
Too techno-packed?
Some dealers fear the technology is difficult to learn and will scare off consumers.
"I'm a little worried about if the vehicles are too techno-packed," says a Ford dealer who asked to remain anonymous. "Our Edge sales have slowed down, and I hope it's not because of the 2011s and the MyTouch."
Another dealer, Morrie Wagener, says he has sold 11 Edges and 4 MKXs with MyFord Touch and has had no complaints. He offers a training class for drivers at his store once a month.
"We're not losing sales because of the complexity, but we are getting questions after the delivery," says Wagener, who owns Morrie's Automotive Group in Long Lake, Minn. "It's hard to get customers to settle down at delivery; they just want to get in the car and drive it."
And that leads to a concern among safety advocates that consumers are learning to use MyFord Touch while driving.
Design issues
Tom Mutchler, an engineer for Consumer Reports, found what he considered design flaws in the touch screen, such as a too-small font and slow response to commands. He says both require drivers to take their eyes off of the road more often than with traditional ***** and buttons.
"I think a lot of people are going to get frustrated," Mutchler said. "It's not going to have the universal appeal that Sync seems to have." Drivers use Sync wireless technology and voice commands to make cell phone calls and select music.
Ford's Hall says the touch screen meets the industry's guidelines for font size and for placement high on the instrument panel.
Mutchler says MyFord Touch is too complicated. Too many steps are needed for simple things, such as to change the temperature or radio station.
He said: "This is messing things up that didn't need to be messed up."
SOURCE: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...plate=printart
and credit to: http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...-thumbs-98195/
Safety advocates question new Ford touch screens
Jamie LaReau
Automotive News | December 6, 2010 - 12:01 am EST
UPDATED: 12/6/10, 10:13 am ET
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story and headline have been changed to correctly refer to the technology as MyFord Touch, rathern than MyTouch. Ford says the technology also can be referred to as the MyFord system.
Ford Motor Co. says its new touch screens and voice commands reduce driver distraction, but some safety experts are unconvinced.
They say the technology, called MyFord Touch, which controls heating, cooling, cell phones and other functions, take drivers' eyes -- and minds -- off the road for too long.
Throw in some software glitches reported on some vehicles and it adds up to birthing pain for the technology.
MyFord Touch is available on two vehicles, the 2011 Ford Edge and 2011 Lincoln MKX crossovers, which went on sale in August. MyFord Touch will be available on the redesigned 2011 Ford Explorer, which will be in showrooms early next year.
On Lincoln vehicles, the technology is called MyLincoln Touch.
Ford spokesman Alan Hall acknowledges that a "small percentage" of vehicles have software problems. And he says some problems are the result of consumers not knowing how to perform certain functions.
Ford plans to post instructional videos this week on ford.com/technology to help drivers learn MyFord Touch functions.
"If people don't know the proper commands, they think the system isn't working," Hall said. "We're trying to aggressively help change that."
And in about a month Ford will offer a software update to Edge and MKX owners to correct software problems, Hall says.
Because of flawed software, the Sirius Travel Link is not functioning correctly for a "small percentage" of owners, Hall says. Sirius Travel Link is part of MyFord Touch's navigation system. It offers sports scores, movie links and other information delivered by Sirius satellite radio.
MyFord Touch allows drivers to control entertainment, climate, navigation and phone calls with voice commands or on an 8-inch touch screen monitor in the center console.
Say, for example, that a driver is using the entertainment screen on the console and wants to change the cabin temperature.
The driver taps the blue climate bar near the edge of the touch screen, which opens a screen of climate-control icons. Then the driver finds and taps the temperature control icons required to raise or lower the cabin temperature.
Ford's Hall says the touch screen graphics are intuitive, simple and color-coded. The screens have clear icons for the finger to hit, he says.
A driver also could hit a button on the steering wheel and speak to the vehicle using voice recognition. Most conventional ***** and buttons are gone.
"The fact is you don't even have to use the touch screen -- you can use your voice," Hall says. "So we think the way we're going is minimizing distractions for drivers.
But Bill Van Tassel, AAA Auto Club national manager of driver training programs in Orlando, says MyFord Touch makes cell calls easy, tempting drivers to talk even more on their phone as they drive. That's "risky behavior," he says.
Ford, which has cultivated a tech-savvy image, has high hopes for the technology and plans to offer it on all vehicles eventually.
MyFord Touch comes standard on the up-level editions of the Edge. It's part of a $1,000 option package on the mid-level Edge SEL, and the base SE model comes with regular ***** and buttons.
Too techno-packed?
Some dealers fear the technology is difficult to learn and will scare off consumers.
"I'm a little worried about if the vehicles are too techno-packed," says a Ford dealer who asked to remain anonymous. "Our Edge sales have slowed down, and I hope it's not because of the 2011s and the MyTouch."
Another dealer, Morrie Wagener, says he has sold 11 Edges and 4 MKXs with MyFord Touch and has had no complaints. He offers a training class for drivers at his store once a month.
"We're not losing sales because of the complexity, but we are getting questions after the delivery," says Wagener, who owns Morrie's Automotive Group in Long Lake, Minn. "It's hard to get customers to settle down at delivery; they just want to get in the car and drive it."
And that leads to a concern among safety advocates that consumers are learning to use MyFord Touch while driving.
Design issues
Tom Mutchler, an engineer for Consumer Reports, found what he considered design flaws in the touch screen, such as a too-small font and slow response to commands. He says both require drivers to take their eyes off of the road more often than with traditional ***** and buttons.
"I think a lot of people are going to get frustrated," Mutchler said. "It's not going to have the universal appeal that Sync seems to have." Drivers use Sync wireless technology and voice commands to make cell phone calls and select music.
Ford's Hall says the touch screen meets the industry's guidelines for font size and for placement high on the instrument panel.
Mutchler says MyFord Touch is too complicated. Too many steps are needed for simple things, such as to change the temperature or radio station.
He said: "This is messing things up that didn't need to be messed up."
SOURCE: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...plate=printart
and credit to: http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...-thumbs-98195/
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From: Tampa area
I love how no matter how far technology comes along and creates ease of use there are still complaints. Ok so we want people to stop talking on cell phones while driving because of trying to hold the phone. So we develop blue tooth and hands free devices and now its unsafe because its easy to use? So WTF do you want there AAA?
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From: Alma GA
the my touch system is probably one of the most advanced and coolest systems ford has come out with..i got to play with the last 2 that come in and was impressed..not sure what the AAA is talking about..after a few minutes i was working the system no problem..
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That's the thing. If Ford decides not to put in a sketchy feature like BLISS or MyFord right now that is messing things up for other vehicles, they get upset. If they did put it in, they would get upset because it doesn't work. Then the nice stuff that does go in is nothing because the F-150 isn't a ground up remodel every 2 years and doesn't get 40 mpg.
Last edited by bluegreenf150; Dec 10, 2010 at 02:54 AM.
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From: MA
link to CR hating MFT
Interesting. Sounds like Ford hurried this thing to market before it was ready.
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/04/c..._lnk2%7C193460
Even after all this time, other than a new prettier interface and integrating some climate controls n such, I'm still not seeing any major difference between the standard Sync and MFT. The only thing that sounded better was better voice recognition, for example being able to just say "Call Ford" rather than having to say "Phone" then "Call Ford". Then again, not sure why that couldn't be just an update to existing Sync rather than only in MFT equipped vehicles. Of course, if FoMoCo thinks it'll get people to keep upgrading to new vehicles perhaps that's why.
At any rate, sounds like no one's missing too much if they don't have MFT at this point.
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/04/c..._lnk2%7C193460
Even after all this time, other than a new prettier interface and integrating some climate controls n such, I'm still not seeing any major difference between the standard Sync and MFT. The only thing that sounded better was better voice recognition, for example being able to just say "Call Ford" rather than having to say "Phone" then "Call Ford". Then again, not sure why that couldn't be just an update to existing Sync rather than only in MFT equipped vehicles. Of course, if FoMoCo thinks it'll get people to keep upgrading to new vehicles perhaps that's why.
At any rate, sounds like no one's missing too much if they don't have MFT at this point.
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From the Fusion forum on BLIS...
"Has anyone had a problem with the BLIS (Blind spot Indicator System) repaired where the indicator LOCKS ON after driving near a center island for a short period of time. Th indicator locks on and does not reset for about 20 minutes of driving.. Hitting RESET on the steering wheel controls removes the error from the display, however the rear view mirror indicator stays on for the entire 20 minute period and becomes useless.
My dealer said this is NORMAL and there was not a repair for it."
++++++
"I have this problem frequently. I took the car in to have it fixed, and after four trips to the dealer, they say that it is perfectly normal. This doesn't make me very happy. I think if this is a false alarm, that the system should reset in a couple of minutes, and not wait until the car is turned off before the system is useful again.
I hope Ford wakes up and fixes what I also think is a software flaw in this system."
+++++
"BLIS False Alerts
Due to the nature of radar technology, there may be certain instances when the BLIS will alert with no object present in the blind zone. This is known as a false alert. Some level of false alerts are normal. Circumstances that may cause a false alert are guardrails, freeway concrete walls, cyclone fencing, sharp turns around a pole or building, or coming to a stop with a vehicle (or trailer) directly behind but very close. False alerts are temporary and self correct."
++++++++
Yes, it sounds like the F-150 will be just fine the way it is right now without BLIS and MyTouch. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.
"Has anyone had a problem with the BLIS (Blind spot Indicator System) repaired where the indicator LOCKS ON after driving near a center island for a short period of time. Th indicator locks on and does not reset for about 20 minutes of driving.. Hitting RESET on the steering wheel controls removes the error from the display, however the rear view mirror indicator stays on for the entire 20 minute period and becomes useless.
My dealer said this is NORMAL and there was not a repair for it."
++++++
"I have this problem frequently. I took the car in to have it fixed, and after four trips to the dealer, they say that it is perfectly normal. This doesn't make me very happy. I think if this is a false alarm, that the system should reset in a couple of minutes, and not wait until the car is turned off before the system is useful again.
I hope Ford wakes up and fixes what I also think is a software flaw in this system."
+++++
"BLIS False Alerts
Due to the nature of radar technology, there may be certain instances when the BLIS will alert with no object present in the blind zone. This is known as a false alert. Some level of false alerts are normal. Circumstances that may cause a false alert are guardrails, freeway concrete walls, cyclone fencing, sharp turns around a pole or building, or coming to a stop with a vehicle (or trailer) directly behind but very close. False alerts are temporary and self correct."
++++++++
Yes, it sounds like the F-150 will be just fine the way it is right now without BLIS and MyTouch. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.
Last edited by bluegreenf150; Jan 8, 2011 at 11:00 PM.
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I love how no matter how far technology comes along and creates ease of use there are still complaints. Ok so we want people to stop talking on cell phones while driving because of trying to hold the phone. So we develop blue tooth and hands free devices and now its unsafe because its easy to use? So WTF do you want there AAA?
How can you be any more distracted, especially is you dial the phone while stopped, than if you are talking to someone else in the vehicle with you? I would think talking on the phone should be less distracting in this case since you would not be tempted to look at the person you are talking to.