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Apps on our phones make our lives oh so easy. Truth be told there’s probably an app for almost any interest and any facet of life. And for owners of the Mustang Mach-E that’s certainly the case.
Ford has made the Mustang Mach-E one of its most technologically advanced vehicles on the road today. And they continue to add more tech-heavy features and apps to their all-electric crossover.
Just yesterday I reported on Ford’s partnership with Amazon Alexa for even more modern conveniences at the hands of Ford vehicle owners. The over-the-air update that’s being used for the Mach-E is now called Ford Power-Up.
This software is capable of sending updates to the vehicle. This isn’t just for diagnostic purposes but can also update the Mach-E’s Sync 4 system to add more features and add even more apps.
Related story: Ford brings hands-free driving BlueCruise to the Mustang Mach-E.
Ford Adds Sketch To Mustang Mach-E
Over the last two months, 2021 Mustang Mach-E customers have begun receiving Ford Power-Up enhancements. Mustang Mach-E customers in North America and Europe soon will receive Sketch -- also referred to as Notes in vehicle menus – for touchscreen drawing and simple gaming.
Check out the below video for how Sketch works.
This is a neat feature and certainly has not been done in any other Ford vehicle prior. How useful is it? I’m not sure. But it just goes to show how Ford can push a new app or an update seamlessly to customers.
FordPass Is A Must-Have for the Mustang
I’ve raved about how awesome Ford’s Sync 4 system. It integrates so well with smart phones and has so many cool, amazing features.
For the Mustang Mach-E, FordPass is vital as it makes charging your vehicle easy as it makes finding, paying for and managing charging simple.
FordPass Power My Trip feature makes long trips a breeze by considering your current charge level and integrating convenient charging locations into your route.
All Mustang Mach-E owners get 250 kWh of complimentary charging through FordPass Rewards on Electrify America fast charging stations. Speaking of Electrify America it has its own app to help you located fast charging stations near you.
Other Must-Have Apps For The Mach-E
When I drove the Mach-E for a week, I quickly learned that range anxiety wasn’t much of a concern. But it was also nice to have access to various apps that showed me nearby charging stations and what level/type of charging they were.
The apps I recommend, in addition to FordPass (which I a given) and the aforementioned Electrify America app are: PlugShare, ChargePoint and EVGo.
During my time with the Mach-E I found all of these to be quite useful, even though the FordPass app is really all-encompassing.
Navigation Apps For Mustang Mach-E
Through Sync 4 there’s a built-in navigation system. Generally, I find most car makers in-vehicle navigation apps to be adequate, but not as good as ones provided by our smart phones. That’s the case with the Mach-E too.
I recommend having Google Maps, which will integrate through Apple CarPlay as it allows for searching for EV chargers during any navigation. However, my favorite navigation app is Waze.
Through Apple CarPlay, Waze offers you everything you could ever need in navigation including alerting you to accidents and any police locations on a route (you know for when you might be Unbridled Mode and heavy footed on the accelerator).
Related story: Ford partners with Mappo for travel-oriented navigation.
Final Thoughts On In-Vehicle Technology
When I wrote the story on the Alexa feature for the Mach-E and F-150, several people seemed to object and reject the notion of “needing” such technology. When it comes to technology, you rarely “need” these things, but they add convenience to our hectic lives.
Ford is wise to offer as many of these conveniences as possible and most people will be appreciative of having such technology at their fingertips.
What is your take on this? Leave me your comment below. Also see what's in Ford's new patent with in-car advertising and follow us on Twitter for daily EV news.
Ford has patented a method to read advertising billboards using cameras, and then show the ads on the touchscreen inside the car. Now I realize that cars and churches were the only private place we had from ads.-Explains https://t.co/2SyDGwGalS-#Ford #FordPatent #InCarAds pic.twitter.com/03arJnA3Kr— Torque News (@torquenewsauto) May 14, 2021
Jimmy Dinsmore has been an automotive journalist for more than a decade and been a writer since the high school. His Driver’s Side column features new car reviews and runs in several newspapers throughout the country. He is also co-author of the book “Mustang by Design” and “Ford Trucks: A Unique Look at the Technical History of America’s Most Popular Truck”. Also, Jimmy works in the social media marketing world for a Canadian automotive training aid manufacturing company. Follow Jimmy on Facebook, Twitter, at his special Ford F-150 coverage on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can read the most of Jimmy's stories by searching Torque News Ford for daily Ford vehicle report.
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