Ford to improve MyFord, MyLincoln Touch system

MyLincoln Touch

I consider myself pretty tech savvy since I’m in my late 20s and am surrounded by gadgets all day long. So when I heard about Ford’s MyFord Touch voice and touchscreen control system, I was pretty excited… until recently when I got to use one. My overall gripe with the system? It’s slow as a snail.

The folks at Consumer Reports magazine recently said they will not recommend the 2011 Ford Edge or its luxury sibling the Lincoln MKX, mainly due to the MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch. The magazine called the technology ‘a complicated distraction while driving’ and said ‘first-time users might find it impossible to comprehend.’ I don’t think it’s all that bad but it I certainly agree with Consumer Reports when they say ‘the system didn’t always perform a promised.’

Well, here’s some good news. FoMoCo is planning some improvement to the MyFord Touch voice and touchscreen controls. Alan Mulally, CEO of FoMoCo said last week that the automaker has no plans to stop using it.

“The position we took a few years ago was that we will be operating in a wired world,” Mulally said at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. “The best value we could add was to enhance the driving experience and make us better drivers. The best way to do that is to have your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road and everything is voice activated.”

About 82 percent of 2011 Ford Edge cars have been ordered with the MyFord Touch option.

– By: Zain Haq

Source: AutoWeek