Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Auto
  3. Evergreens

How Ford nailed infotainment without reinventing the wheel

It turns out infotainment doesn't have to be the most complicated thing on a car

By
Audio Zones on the Ford F-150's Infotainment Panel
Dave McQuilling / The Manual

Infotainment is a major part of the modern vehicle. Most cars, trucks, and SUVs you find on the road these days drive very well, get decent fuel economy, and have a wide range of driver aids. So a decent infotainment system may be the difference between a nailed-on purchase and something you’re likely to swerve.

It makes sense, too. A vehicle is something you’re likely to spend a significant amount of time in. Easy access to music, a solid navigation system, and some fun customization options all serve to make that time more pleasant. So it’s amazing so many companies are making a bit of a hash of it all. For some, there’s a clear hardware problem.

Ford’s infotainment system at a glance

A Lincoln Aviator's infotainment Panel
Dave McQuilling / The Manual

Ford is not one of those companies. It keeps it simple in a lot of areas, and drizzles in the correct amount of experimentation in others. That’s why you see several of Lincoln’s models boasting a dash-length display, and “digital smells.”

Recommended Videos

For the Fords themselves, things are pretty simple. You tend to get a large, square display, and the stuff on it is very simple. Ford has built its infotainment system on Android, so anyone who uses an Android phone or tablet should feel right at home. As it’s Android-based, you can easily add additional apps to the vehicle. But the best thing about Ford’s infotainment system doesn’t really involve the “Ford” part of it at all.

Ford isn’t the only one with the Android base

Infiniti QX80 Infotainment with Android Auto
Dave McQuilling / The Manual

Ford isn’t the only company with an Android-based infotainment system; it’s actually a pretty popular option. However, I’d argue Ford has gone further than most on one front: Smartphone Integration. Ford gives the option of using “its” infotainment system, but knows full well many people prefer Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Not only will the two phone-based options connect seamlessly, but they’ll also have access to a lot of the vehicle’s data — which helps when planning things like charging stops on an EV road trip.

By comparison, some other brands take a different approach. Volvo, for example, has Android-based infotainment but doesn’t have a Bluetooth-based Android Auto connection in its main models. GM emphasizes its in-house systems over mobile integration. On a personal level, if I’m handing over close to six figures for a vehicle, I want everything to be seamless. And I definitely don’t want my options reduced. I say this as someone who reviews a lot of vehicles. There are few things that annoy me more than getting into a “premium” vehicle in 2025 or even beyond that and not being able to connect to Android Auto via Bluetooth. And it’s shockingly common.

It’s probably saved Ford a fortune

Karaoke on the Ford F-150's Infotainment Panel
Dave McQuilling / The Manual

Occasionally, I’ll turn up to an event hosted by an OEM and sit through a talk about its new infotainment system. This sometimes includes a glimpse at just how much these things cost to develop, and it isn’t inexpensive. There are instances where this can work out; a manufacturer can add features that Google or Apple isn’t really capable of. But you really have to question if it’s actually worth it?

I don’t recall Ford mentioning much about infotainment software. Yes, the company will boast about the size of its display or, in the case of Lincoln, its dash-length layout and swathe of comfort features. But there doesn’t seem to be much focus on the basic software running it all. This is probably for the best.

Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are excellent. Beyond that, I love the fact that I can click an address in a text message or email, open it in Maps, and have those directions immediately show up on my linked vehicle. While you can control some proprietary infotainment systems from an app, it’s nowhere near this intuitive.

Ford has probably saved a ridiculous amount of money and ended up with a better result by just leaving things to Apple and Google.

Give the people what they want, and invest in other areas

A Lincoln Navigator's Infotainment Panel
Dave McQuilling / The Manual

So Ford’s strategy works on a few fronts. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both immensely popular and convenient. They work well, and if issues do arise, it’s not likely to be Ford’s problem. Ford saves a large amount of money on research, development, and the maintenance/updating of some very complex software. It can still gather “user data” too, though it now has to share some with a third party.

While the money it saves is significant, it’s still likely a small percentage of overall research and development funding. Still, it’s a large sum that can either go towards other areas of research or be used to shave a tiny amount off a vehicle’s MSRP. And who wouldn’t want that?

Dave McQuilling
Dave McQuilling
Former Digital Trends Contributor
After completing a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Sutherland University, Dave began an accomplished career as a… Read Full Bio
Auto
Cadillac celebrates 125 years with the Escalade-V
cadillac celebrates 125 years with the escalade v my27 collector img 1620

The Cadillac Escalade has been a symbol for decades. When you think about those who made it out of the neighborhood and into the more affluent parts of your home, you think of them in a Caddy. The Cadillac image has always been the go-to for those who want to showcase their success and their ability to rise above the average. The Escalade became the harbinger of wealth when it became the status symbol of the urban and hip hop cultures.

Now the Escalade is the vessel Cadillac is using to celebrate 125 years with the Escalade-V.

Read more
Auto
Porsche wants to teach you how actually to drive their cars
Porsche

A Porsche is one of the most recognizable cars on the road. You always know when you are looking at one. So, it stands to reason that people love them, right? Of course they do. But loving a car and knowing how to drive one are very different. What is it that Ja Rule said in The Fast and the Furious? “We know a few things. And one of the things we knows is, it isn’t how you stand by your car, it is how to drive your car. You better learn that.” How do you learn to drive a Porsche? At the Porsche Track Experience, which has offered programs on everything from a single-day basics class up to a three-day advanced course.

Now, the team behind PTX is expanding into new offerings for the car.

Read more
Auto
The next evolution of the sports car: Porsche redesigns an icon
City, Car, Transportation

Authenticity. It is what we are looking for nowadays as consumers. Thirty years ago, we looked for brand names. We strived for status and letting all those around us see that what we wore, where we lived, where we dined, and finally, what we drove, symbolized our success in life. Then all of that started to stumble, and every industry felt the recession. Of course, the recession was temporary, but the effects of it were not. What we started to look for after that was something real. We realized that stuff…was just stuff. Now, when I look at cars, or suits, or restaurants, I ask myself: What is this going to make me feel?

That is what the new Porsche Mission S does; it makes me feel like vintage New York and the upstate escape.

Read more