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Max Power

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@Ford Motor Company here is a list of all the entertainment options I would like to see added.
1.

and here is a list of actual, useful things I would like to see.
1. Generator mode
2. Trip planning in the app
3. All available chargers in nav including Tesla
4. Frunk open without turning off climate
5. ProPower control from app
6. Zone lighting from app
7. Manual DC charging precondition
8. Single button charge to 100% in app

Basically, give me back the app functions we used to have and add generator mode and frunk open.
Agree and add:
9. View cameras from app (Sentry mode)
10. Trailer Light Check from app
11. Start climate from key fob
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invertedspear

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Great points!



I can only estimate their team size, but my guess is that 1% is something like 7-10 people. I haven't seen the app yet so I don't know how great it is, but since karaoke games are simple enough to be university class projects these days (timings files make it a breeze), it seemed a reasonable estimate. Especially since (a) it's Android, and (b) it's a co-dev with another company.
I have never worked for an automaker. But I have worked with other devs that have, so I am extrapolating a bit. A couple things to take in to account, the same software powers both Sync 4 and Sync 4a systems. So any change, even an integration like this must be added to the test suite, and must be tested with every car that uses sync4, and then every combination of trim feature. Based on what I knew of GM it's a surprisingly small dev team that works on the infotainment system. Like 30 developers. I'm going to assume the same at Ford. I'm even going to give Ford the benefit of assuming it's an entirely separate team working on Sync5(a) which will be the first one that's android based.

Sync4(a) is not Android, it's QNX (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Sync), so while I'm sure the code for the Karaoke app was written outside, someone, likely a Ford software engineer, would have had to compile it for QNX and debug it. Then the QA effort would start, testing all the Sync4a vehicles to make sure it works right, testing all the rest of the line up to make sure it didn't introduce a bug somewhere else in the infotainment system. Figure a few more bugs have to be worked out and sent back to the developer.

It seems easy on the surface, it's just an app after all, but on a system that runs your car, it's never as easy as loading an app on your phone.
 

TaxmanHog

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Mike37

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I'm actually kinda jelly. I want karaoke in my truck. Can we pair a mic to the bluetooth? Picking up/dropping off my daughter in the drive-thru of her high school in front of all her friends while blasting and signing Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" with my aftermarket sound system sounds like a gloriously good time.
Elvis…It’s now or never, at the top of my voice. My daughter told me I was only embarrassing myself…😄😄
 

Scorpio3d

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I'm actually kinda jelly. I want karaoke in my truck. Can we pair a mic to the bluetooth? Picking up/dropping off my daughter in the drive-thru of her high school in front of all her friends while blasting and signing Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" with my aftermarket sound system sounds like a gloriously good time.
We must be related somehow this is something I would have done, but my kids are out of high school now.-damn
 

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Zprime29

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Doesn't matter to me, I won't get the OTA anyways.
 

davehu

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Semi-related to this thread since many mentioned wanting pet mode. When I have dogs in the truck and need to go into a store, etc, I just leave the truck running and lock the doors. I disabled the auto-time out so it should stay running indefinitely. With the key not in the truck even though it’s running no one could drive off. Why doesn’t that work for people’s pet mode needs?
exactly. and an idea I got from somewhere else on this forum... pull up the etch-a-sketch app and write "AC is on, dog is fine" on the screen.
 

The Weatherman

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That is an excellent idea!
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