Ford to Offer Sync 4 Platform that Finds Gas Stations, Parking Spots

Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn will soon integrate a platform into its vehicles that will help users find cheaper fuel prices and open parking spots.
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Inrix platform
Ford vehicles will now include an Inrix platform that will help users find fuel and parking spots. // Image courtesy of Ford Motor Co.

Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn will soon integrate a platform into its vehicles that will help users find cheaper fuel prices and open parking spots.

Dearborn’s Ford Motor Co. has partnered with Washington’s Inrix Inc., a provider of connected car services and transportation analytics, to offer Inrix’s services in Ford vehicles around the world.

Available in the all-new Sync 4 connected vehicle system with navigation, drivers will be able to find, compare, and navigate available parking spaces and search for the lowest fuel prices and gas stations nearby.

Starting with the all-electric Mustang Mach-E, Bronco two- and four-door models, and all-new F-150, the new Sync 4 also combines conversational voice recognition with internet search.

“Customers want connected vehicle technologies to work more like smartphones with real-time, personalized services – and that is exactly what Sync 4 offers, including Inrix’s parking and fuel price innovations,” says Gary Jablonski, manager of Ford connected vehicle infotainment systems.

“For example, many F-150 customers drive from job to job in new areas where we can help guide them to gas stations and parking spots closest to them, or perhaps a bit further if they are looking for cheaper options.”

Inrix launched the industry’s first off-street parking service in 2013, followed by the first integrated on-street parking solution in June 2015. Sync 4 will soon provide users with routes to the closest street and garage spot, including rates, restrictions, and real-time occupancy. Inrix Parking offers access to comprehensive and accurate parking in nearly 20,000 cities in 150 countries.

“Since 2008, INRIX has played an important role bringing connected services to Ford SYNC drivers,” says Bryan Mistele, president and CEO of INRIX. “These services are no longer just a selling point but a requirement – real-time information like traffic, parking, and fuel play a critical role in the entire driving experience.”

Inrix Fuel allows drivers to search for nearby stations and view pricing. OPIS by IHS Markit powers the service, providing location, brand, and real-time pricing information for more than 380,000 fuel stations around the world.

Inrix collects billions of anonymous data points every day from a diverse set of sources, including connected vehicles, cities, departments of transportation, road weather conditions, incidents reported by journalists, social media, parking, mobile, and other internet of things devices.