Ford ... joining the information age?
Ford (www.ford.com), in a partnership with Microsoft, is offering a new system in its vehicles (2008 line) that allows you to sync your phone and music with the car and then use both with it's voice activated system. The Name? FordSync. (www.syncmyride.com)
The system comes factory-installed in Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles in the United States (syncmyride.com). You can sync your vehicle with a number of portable music devices (iPods, etc) as well as most bluetooth enabled phones.
Not only does the FordSync system allow voice-enabled and hands-free calling, but it also allows drivers/passengers to use audible text messaging. Its a pretty well known fact that people in this day and age, as dangerous as it may be, spend time text messaging on their phones while they should be paying attention to the road and the drivers around them.
To put it simply, you're able to use voice commands to operate not only your cell phone, but as well as what music you'd like to hear. This enables drivers to spend less time distracted by surfing through songs on their iPod and contacts in their 'phonebook.'
Right now the system is available on 12 Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury models in North America. The system will be standard on these models, so there isn't an individually quoted price for installation. However, there are some models where it is an available modification and is priced at US $395.
Source:
http://www.syncmyride.com/#/overlay/overlay_faq