MyFord Touch upgrades to be available early next year

Ford’s cutting-edge touch-screen infotainment experience MyFord Touch will receive an upgrade by early next year, reports the Detroit Free Press. Complaints that the system is too slow and cluttered will reportedly be addressed by the new software build. Current owners of a MyFord Touch-equipped Ford vehicle will be able to upgrade free of charge.

Tweaking the MyFord Touch system

Ford introduced touch-screen systems in the 2010 Ford Edge and 2010 Lincoln MKX. Since then, improved versions of MyFord Touch have appeared in the Explorer and Focus.

Various sources indicate that the MyFord Touch software update will make the system twice as fast as before. The graphical user interface will also be streamlined, making access to music, directional navigation, phone calls via Sync and cabin climate control easier, says the Free Press.

MyFordTouch was designed to work in tandem with Ford’s Sync cell phone system. While Ford acknowledges that the touch-screen interface has brought the automaker new customers – 2011 Ford Edge sales received a sizable boost – four customer focus groups conducted since MyFord Touch’s introduction last fall noted that there was much room for improvement.

Getting better all the time

Graydon Reitz, Ford’s electronics engineering director, told the Free Press that Ford is committed to constant improvement.

“Just as we love our electronic devices and can’t live without them, we always want them to be better. And that’s exactly what our customers told us,” said Reitz.

The upcoming version of MyFord Touch will appear in the 2013 Ford Taurus, Flex and Escape. Owners will be sent a USB stick with any software upgrades. Self-installation is possible, but the less technically inclined will have the option of going to a Ford dealership for a free installation.

Other MyFord Touch improvements

In addition to being easier to read and navigate, the new MyFord Touch will respond to a wider array of voice commands. It will also work with Sirius satellite radio’s Game Finder feature so that drivers can speak the name of the broadcast sporting event to which they’d like to listen.

How MyFord Touch works with iPhone 4S and Siri