[car fanatics]

Quote:LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2012 – Ford announced today it has selected Scout® by Telenav, Inc.™ as the personalized navigation service to work with Ford SYNC® AppLink™.

“No two drivers are the same – and even for a single driver, no two trips are exactly the same. We chose Scout for SYNC AppLink because we share Telenav’s vision to provide a more personalized navigation experience for each driver,” said Doug VanDagens, global director of Ford Connected Services.

Available on select Ford Motor Company models, SYNC AppLink is a program that allows drivers to access various smartphone apps using voice commands and buttons on their steering wheel. Scout, also announced at the 2012 International CES, is a new daily personal navigator from Telenav that is available on mobile phones (initially on the iPhone), online at http://www.scout.me, and soon for Ford SYNC AppLink.

“Scout is a daily personal navigator that effectively eliminates the need to re-enter information every time you switch from a computer to your phone, or from a phone to your car,” said Dariusz Paczuski, vice president of marketing for Telenav. “We are delighted that Ford’s customers will have one of the first chances to experience Scout as an integrated, personalized navigation service in the car, on their phone, and on the Web.”

Scout is different from other navigation and discovery services because it provides a single, easy-to-use experience for daily information that is important and customized for each driver’s personal journey. Using Scout, drivers can easily and efficiently navigate their commutes, run errands, and explore places around them.

Key features of Scout include:

-My Dashboard: Always know when to leave with traffic-based drive times at a glance
-My Routes: Stress less and never get lost with reliable, award-winning Telenav® turn-by-turn directions
-My Traffic: Avoid traffic jams with real-time traffic during daily commutes
-My Places: Discover great new places nearby or near a destination
-My Favorites: Remember that great hole-in-the-wall and save it to favorites
-My Music: Hear and control iPod tunes without ever leaving Scout
-My Devices: Use Scout on the phone, computer, or in the car

Scout for Ford SYNC AppLink will offer multiple benefits to drivers. By adding voice control, Scout allows drivers to access and control a full range of functions while keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Directions will be channeled through the car’s speakers and visible turn-by-turn navigation cues will be shown on the car’s radio display. Additionally, Scout for Ford SYNC AppLink will give drivers access to the entire Scout service, so when they discover and save their favorite events and locations at http://www.scout.me, they can seamlessly access these preferences through AppLink while in the car.

Scout is now available in the Apple® iTunes Store and at http://www.scout.me. Scout for Ford SYNC AppLink will be available in the U.S. later this year.

Representatives from Ford and Telenav will demonstrate Scout with Ford SYNC AppLink at the Pepcom media event this evening from 7 p.m. PT to 11 p.m. PT at the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas.

[FORD]
[PHOTO CREDIT: FORD]