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Ford Adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Support on MY2016 Cars With SYNC 3

Ford has made a software update for the SYNC 3 infotainment unit, which is designed to enable Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support in MY2016 vehicles.
Ford SYNC 3 infotainment system 1 photo
Photo: Ford
It can be installed using an USB stick if the user wants to do it without assistance, but a visit to the dealer can also be scheduled to achieve the same objective.

For the first time, the Blue Oval offers an over-the-air update, which is possible if the car is connected to a Wi-Fi network.

If you have a compatible vehicle and want to perform the update yourself, you should go to owner.ford.com and follow the steps presented on the page, along with downloading the update on a USB stick. We suggest using a new thumb drive to be able to format it without fear of losing data.

The update version is 2.2, and Ford says that the platform has been designed to be easy to update. It is a big step for traditional automakers like the Blue Oval, while younger brands, like Tesla, have gone to further lengths to implement over-the-air updates in some of their products.

The first update ever offered for SYNC came in 2009, but the third generation of the system comes with the possibility of automatic updates over Wi-Fi.

Evidently, a designated network must also be in the range of the automobile's receiver. From there, a setting to allow the vehicle to update its multimedia unit without further assistance has to be turned on. The solution does not require the engine to be running for the update to take place.

If you want to try updating SYNC 3 over a Wi-Fi network, avoid using a free or open channel that can be accessed by anyone. We suggest making a hotspot from your smartphone, if your data plan is generous enough, or use a friend’s Wi-Fi after asking their permission and password.

MY2017 Ford vehicles with Sync 3 instealled from already supported Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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