Command and Control your Ford from your couch...Nice.

ford ranger fx4 introduces new connected vehicle tech – ford pass
ford ranger fx4 introduces new connected vehicle tech – ford pass
ford ranger fx4 introduces new connected vehicle tech – ford pass
ford ranger fx4 introduces new connected vehicle tech – ford pass
ford ranger fx4 introduces new connected vehicle tech – ford pass

Ford Pass and Ford Pass Connect are essentially the next step in the connected vehicle journey, now allowing real time car information on your smart phone and some cool control and command functions. ‍

Ford has officially introduced Ford Pass, a smartphone application that allows owners to access vehicle data via their smartphone. Added to this, Ford Pass Connect is an added technology that allows owners to not just access information from the car, but also to directly control certain functions in the vehicle such as real time ignition, locking and unlocking.

It is the first time that Ford has introduced this technology in South Africa and they have chosen to do it on new Ford Rangers from the XLT, Wildtrak, Thunder and Raptor derivatives.

The idea of the connected car isn’t new but it is still relatively new as a technology in South Africa. We’ve seen connected vehicle apps from Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes Benz and Audi to name a few but notice that those brands would all be found in a premium segment of the market. 

Ford’s strategic take is to bring this sort of tech to more and more people and make it accessible to the car-buying ‘masses’ as it were. They did this with SYNC1 tech back in 2011 and it’s been the case with Ford vehicles ever since so it’s not much of a surprise to see this kind of tech being introduced. 

I tested the app at the recent Ford Ranger FX4 launch and being quite curious of IoT tech such as this, I wanted to really delve into its functionality and real world usability. These apps can be like the 50 other apps on my phone – they’re there but I never use them. The app is available for downloading on the app store, a file that was less than 50MB to retrieve. Set up took no more than 2 minutes once I had the VIN number in site and authorisation from Ford took another 2 minutes. It was the fastest set up of all in my experience. 

The Ford Pass app itself lets you into some key metrics of the car. It will display fuel levels, time to next service, a Ford concierge service where you can email or phone someone to assist you, roadside assistance and map services. The Owner’s manual is also available to you and it allows Ford to push notifications and messages to you for things like recalls. So this is all ok. The tech is sound and easy to understand. 

Add the Ford Pass Connect tech and things get a little more interesting. This allows you to command the car to do certain things. Take 1: It’s a scorcher of a day and you have to leave in an hour. Through your phone, you can schedule the car to be started say 5 minutes before you leave so the climate control can cool the car before then. Flip the idea for a wintry scenario. You can turn the car on or turn it off, from your phone, from literally anywhere in the world where you are connected to the internet. You can also unlock and lock the car among a few other nifty little features. 

Issues of security have been considered and whilst the car will start, nobody will be able to drive it away until the access key is detected inside the vehicle once again. We tried. Should the car be tampered with while idling, it was turn off and sound the alarm for added security.

ford ranger fx4 introduces new connected vehicle tech – ford pass

Just some of the functionality from the Ford Pass app

All new Rangers from XLT upwards are embedded with a 4G eSIM modem, effectively the tech that allows the car to send and receive commands and information from and to the owner as well as to Ford’s suppliers, i.e dealers, emergency services etc. 

What impressed me with the app was its relative speed of set up and relative speed of use. Of course, anything that is reliant upon the Internet cannot be absolutely reliable but even with a half done 3G signal, the command to start the car took about 20-seconds at worst. 

The Ford Pass tech is not an optional extra on these cars. It is fitted as standard kit.

The app works well and the tech works well too – what remains to be seen is whether Ford's supplier network and systems are working as seamlessly when a more pressing need arises. Emergency services dispatch? Booking your service? Is the dealer just as efficient? Are there systems in place across the network to ensure that the app use is a seamless integration of all the other owner needs? These things remain to be tested and I am sure we will test and report on this in the near future.

That being said, the introduction of this tech is yet another step in moving consumers into an altogether connected age. Ford is spending billions of dollars in a drive for electric and hybrid car, autonomous cars and connected cars. So this addition of Ford Connect will be added upon in the future as this whole idea becomes ubiquitous. 

Ford was less keen to comment on the exact dates of rollout into other products, but expect the next new generation of Ford cars to have it pretty soon.

Keyword: Ford Ranger FX4 introduces new Connected Vehicle Tech – Ford Pass

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

Here's How The Ford Ranger Raptor's Fox Shocks Make It A Great Off-Roader

There are multiple drive modes, and each one tweaks the dampers for different purpose.

View more: Here's How The Ford Ranger Raptor's Fox Shocks Make It A Great Off-Roader

Crawford moves to DAMS, Hadjar and Marti join Campos

Isack Hadjar (FRA) Red Bull Junior Driver. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 17, Japanese Grand Prix, Thursday 21st September 2023. Suzuka, Japan. Jak Crawford will move to DAMS for the 2024 Formula 2 season while Red Bull juniors Isack Hadjar and Pepe Marti will compete for Campos. Crawford finished ...

View more: Crawford moves to DAMS, Hadjar and Marti join Campos

Ford Robbed Us Of The Old Four-Door Ranger Because It Wanted To Sell Explorers

Photo: Ford By definition, a big truck like a Ford F-150 or Chevy Silverado struggles to be small. Even in its smallest, most trucky configuration — a two-door single cab — a full-size truck is relatively large and comes with a sizable bed for hauling cargo. But a small ...

View more: Ford Robbed Us Of The Old Four-Door Ranger Because It Wanted To Sell Explorers

Ford loses nearly 400 participants from its EV dealer program

After asking its dealers to join it “on an epic journey of sustainable expansion,” Ford revealed over two-thirds of its dealers joined almost a year ago. However, close to 400 dealers have dropped out of the program since then. Ford asked its dealership network to become a part of ...

View more: Ford loses nearly 400 participants from its EV dealer program

Planned Three-Year Cruise Canceled At The Last Minute Because The Company Couldn't Afford To Buy A Ship

Image: GreenOak (Shutterstock) A cruise that was set to sail around the world for three years has been abruptly canceled at the last minute. The reason? The company behind the cruise couldn’t afford to buy a ship in time, as CNN reports. Life at Sea Cruises, a division of ...

View more: Planned Three-Year Cruise Canceled At The Last Minute Because The Company Couldn't Afford To Buy A Ship

Volkswagen Is Developing Affordable EVs, But Only For China

24 May 2023, Saxony, Zwickau: A model of the new-generation ID.3 is assembled at Volkswagen’s plant in Zwickau. Following the start of production in 2019, the vehicle has now received a facelift as part of the model mint. Image: Hendrik Schmidt/picture alliance (Getty Images) After Chinese automaker BYD dethroned ...

View more: Volkswagen Is Developing Affordable EVs, But Only For China

This 2024 Ford Mustang GT Only Survived 16 Miles Before Being Crashed

There's heavy damage on the rear of the car, but the 5.0-liter V8 is listed as still running.

View more: This 2024 Ford Mustang GT Only Survived 16 Miles Before Being Crashed

Let This Lancia Stratos Replica Be Your Affordable Key To Rally Greatness

This auction is a realistic way to have a street-legal rally icon parked in your driveway.

View more: Let This Lancia Stratos Replica Be Your Affordable Key To Rally Greatness

At $27,500, Is This 2008 Ford F450 Super Duty A Super Big Deal?

Can you tow with a Ford Everest Wildtrak?

1962 Ford Falcon | Old Car

Ford patents inflatable bumpers for its large SUVs & pickups

Ford Figo: Weird noise when the ignition is on worries me

Ford Taurus, Dodge Caravan Live Again In 1995 Detroit Auto Show Retro Video

Next-gen Ford Mustang – The competitors at R1.5 million

At $9,000, Would This 1976 Ford Granada Ghia Put You Back In Black?

2.0L Bi-Turbo or 3.0L V6 – The most popular engine for the Ford Ranger Wildtrak in South Africa

Ford Mustang GT3 Looks Fast, Sounds Like Thunder In Track Test Video

Road-Trip Review: 2023 Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum

Here’s How An Affordable Chinese-Made EV Holds Up After 100,000 Miles

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel