Ford unveils the car of the future

A new Ford vehicle unveiled in Barcelona on Monday is the first in Europe to feature voice-operated connectivity. Its onboard computer system – called SYNC – can read out incoming text messages and connect to digital music players, allowing drivers to choose songs by simply saying them out loud. The system has already been rolled out on more than 4million cars in the US, but now Ford hopes to have the technology fitted on 3.5million of its new B-MAX vehicles by 2015. Another feature of the advanced computer system is the emergency call. Whenever an airbag activates or the car’s emergency fuel pump shuts off, a call to 999 will automatically be made from the driver’s mobile phone. The European Emergency Number Association helped to develop the technology – in several different languages. EENA’s executive director Gary Machado said he was ‘confident the technology would contribute to saving lives in Europe’. Ford’s Paul Mascarenas said the voice-activated system will come ‘without requiring a subscription or registration, unlike competitor systems’. The Ford B-MAX – the company’s first new UK car since 2008 – will go on sale later this year.