Looks like the upgrade we have all been waiting for will be here soon, yea. Copied from the Chgo. Tribune 3/5 edition.
Owners of 2011 and 2012 model-year Ford vehicles with MyFordTouch will start receiving an upgrade to the infotainment and control system this week.
Ford is mailing out flash drives that consumers can plug into a USB port to download the software upgrade.
Maps
Ford Conference & Event Center, 1151 Village Rd, Dearborn, MI 48124-5033, USA
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The improved program attempts to address consumer concerns about the system, which has caused Ford vehicles to drop precipitously in quality scores by third parties such as Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates.
Ford officials say they have made the touch screen and voice recognition system faster, more intuitive and simpler to read and use. The screen layout has been simplified. Common commands are easier to find. Responses are designed to be faster and less frustrating when trying to change a radio station, turn up the heat or get directions.
Consumers can perform the upgrades themselves or have a dealer do it.
In the past three months, Ford conducted tests of the upgrades and downloading instructions with employees and a few dealers, said Graydon Reitz, director of electronics and electrical systems engineering. Feedback from the first group of 1,000 testers was incorporated and a second group of 700 further verified the system.
Dealers received their flash drives Monday to update the vehicles on their lots and be ready to help customers. There are about 300,000 vehicles eligible for the update. New 2013 models already have the newest system.
The download takes about 60 minutes and the car must be running the whole time, said Michelle Moody, cross-vehicle marketing manager.
Some commands can still be performed during the first half of the download, but the screen becomes frozen for the second half. During that time, previously set climate controls cannot be changed, and the audio system goes silent.
