Despite  persistent complaints about the the system’s effectiveness and user interface problems, Ford Motor Co. and Microsoft are celebrating the fifth anniversary of the partnership, which spawned the SYNC system.
   More than 5 million Ford vehicles with the  connectivity system, which is  on a Microsoft platform for mobile connectivity.  Consumer Reports recently said problems with the system led to lower levels of consumer satsfication with Ford vehicles. But virtually every othe manufacturer has followed Ford’s lead and offers its own connectivity platform
Meanwhile, Ford and Microsoft look to the future for next phase of the connected  car experience to be based on intelligence through fusion of cloud
computing and sensor data
"SYNC has helped us evolve as an automaker, to think and act more like a technology company, with a new level of openness and access that has forever changed how we look at our business and respond to our customers," said Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president, Ford Research and Innovation. "Ultimately, SYNC embodies what Ford is all about: going further to transform innovative ideas into products that are affordable, attainable and valuable to millions of people."
When Ford and Microsoft first initiated the collaboration in 2005, the engineering teams recognized that mobile electronics were quickly becoming an increasingly important part of people's lives as cell phones and digital media players. Considering how quickly mobile device usage had grown in just the previous few years, the development team decided a new development approach was needed going forward. By Joseph Szczesny