We just had an opportunity a few minutes ago to catch up with Alan Mulally and Paul Mascarenas, CEO and CTO of Ford, who are once again in Vegas to show off some of Detroit's finest steel at CES. In fact, this is Ford's fifth consecutive show — a telling sign that the auto industry's trend toward high-tech feature lists is very likely here to stay.
At this year's event, Ford debuted the 2013 Fusion Hybrid, which features a pair of geeky (and popular) features that have become ubiquitous with Ford's presence at CES: Sync and MyFord Touch. What does consumer tech mean to a meat-and-potatoes American institution that's been around for over a hundred years? Let's take a look.
There are 32 Comments. Add yours.
OMG. Video works after Ford ad. This is brilliant.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:34 PM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Though, can’t get video to go full screen. Just happy that it loads.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:35 PM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
same here :(
here is the dl link: http://assets.theverge.vid.io/de4353f5226bd1ae52f2aef551df713e.mp4
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:58 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Interesting, Ford interview works after Ford ad.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:24 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
And then the video broke 10 seconds after I tempt faith.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:28 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I love Sync. Makes everything so easy and pain free. So much so that after seeing it run on my dad’s Ford Escape and the info coming out of Ford I have decided my next car is a Ford Fusion Hybrid. Excellent mileage and not wimpy looking like the Prius.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:40 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
The Verge at CES is powered by Ford, so it does sound a BIT forced. But still, good effort.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:40 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
We keep editorial and sales totally separate — and actually, Mulally did interviews with a few of our competitors before us. Heh.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:42 PM EST reply Recommend (7) Flag actions
I’ll be honest, I was basing myself on the early dialogue, which SEEMED a bit forced.
And now I’ll sound like a Verge sellout, but I have to admit that those guys seem to know their stuff and now I’m regretting buying a Toyota Scion tC. Then again, their complete platform being COMING instead of having been there 8 months ago is something I had to take into account.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:50 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
should still have a disclosure in the article, nilay.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:58 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
By that logic, we’d need disclosures for posting news about a Samsung phone when a Samsung ad runs, so on, so forth. We post a lot of news about a lot of products from a lot of companies; many of them advertise with us, just as they advertise with our competitors.
I think for those of us actually writing the news day in and day out, the immovable barrier between advertising and editorial is implied and something that we take for granted, but for our readers I can totally understand that it might not be. We’ve got our full ethics statement posted for that very reason, and it should help answer a lot of questions.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:18 PM EST reply Recommend (14) Flag actions
Preroll ads are NOT what make me come to The Verge. Banner ads are fine but preroll really tests my loyalty.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:47 PM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
As long as the ads are relevant, I am fine with them. If they were marketing something totally unrelated to technology, THAT would test my loyalty.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 10:56 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Also bare in mind that CES is a major point of traffic for The Verge. They would be completely incompetent not to place Preroll ads on these videos with the increased traffic. It gives them another revenue stream to keep producing this site. Which I think is something we all want.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:30 PM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
Well put.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:33 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Preroll ads are NOT what makes me come to the The Verge either, it’s the content. But this is not a charity site for Tech-news hungry people. Ads are here to stay. Banner and preroll(hopefully only during events)….
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 2:05 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Why is everyone complaining? Finally some Car/Tech. Oh if you guys run into them again tell them to quit playing and build that For Evos concept. lol
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:14 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Ford*
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:15 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
They already did. A lot of the Evos Concept is in the new Fusion & Focus (The front grill, the body styling, etc.)
Now, if you’re talking about incorporating all those crazy ass doors, then by all means, show that to an aftermarket guy who, I’m sure, will love to do that to get in a spread in a magazine..
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 11:47 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
CES has turned out to be quite amusing. This was a cool insight into Ford’s vision and contribution (specifically on their strategy to reduce the cost of EVs). And I have to agree, why look at a turning point, when individually we’re increasingly empowered to make a turn of our own. I can’t wait to go electric.
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:37 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
This was a great interview Josh. The Verge’s coverage of CES has been stellar so far. Keep up the great work
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 11:54 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Whoa! You guys got a Mullally interview in the Verge trailer? Crazy, good stuff. Excited to see more of the 2013 Fusion.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:13 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Has anyone actually used MyFord Touch on a daily basis? I have. I have a 2012 Ford Edge. MyFord Touch is the flakiest, most unreliable piece of crap ever. Bluetooth audio streaming from my iPhone works only around 60% of the time I enter my vehicle. I’m hoping the Spring 2012 update fixes things, but right now it’s very frustrating.
So many people praise MyFord Touch but I bet those people haven’t used it on a daily basis.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:16 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
A lot of people praise Sync, which, before MyFord Touch came along, was great (we have it in our pre-MyFord Touch Flex). It sounds like the Spring update is a huge overhaul. Hopefully it’s as much of an improvement as promised.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:56 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I’m in the market to buy my first car, and I test drove the Ford Focus and the Hyundai Elantra a couple weeks ago. The problem with Ford wasn’t the tech in the car but dealer. Most of the Ford dealerships around me are closed, and the dealer at the one open one was useless. He couldn’t explain what sync was or why I should want any of the tech, and he didn’t explain in any way how the car was better than the competition. If this is any sign of the reliability of the car, I think my money is going with Hyundai.
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:28 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
You said it. The dealers are still Ford’s weakest link (though I’d be surprised if you find much improvement at the Hyundai dealership).
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 12:58 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
Got a much better vibe at Hyundai
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 3:37 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
If I was Josh, I would be honoured to be interviewing Alan Mulally, amazing CEO. (not saying that Josh is not or was not honoured, I would just like to be in his position)
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 10:32 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
It was crazy. They sent a security guy to the trailer earlier in the day. I was pretty blown away that we got a chance to talk to him — and he seemed into it!
Posted on Jan 11, 2012 | 1:02 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Was there any mention of when they would be sending out the update to MyFord Touch for current owners, other than ‘early 2012’?
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 12:07 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Excellent interview guys. Really enjoying all the effort you’re putting into The Verge.
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 | 5:20 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
On an unrelated note this is especially cool because my Dad is good friends with the CTO Paul Mascarenas :)
Posted on Jan 13, 2012 | 12:40 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
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