Ford India Rolls Out FordPass Connected Car Tech

Back in September 2019, Ford introduced the FordPass connected car tech in global markets. Soon, this technology will be available in India as well. The carmaker has confirmed that all BS6-compliant vehicles will be offered with this connected car technology across all variants. The BS6-compliant Ford EcoSport will be the first vehicle to get it.

Ford will provide an e-SIM with 4G connectivity to avail of the connected car tech features. What’s more, customers will get a three-year unlimited usage plan for free on the day of purchasing the vehicle. The FordPass connected car tech is split into three operations: Move, Find and Guides.  

The ‘Move’ feature provides real time information about the car like tyre pressures, fuel range, and odometer readouts. You can also remote lock and unlock your car with this feature. As the name suggests, the ‘Find’ function helps customers locate nearby fuel stations and Ford dealers and get directions for it. ‘Guide’ is essentially a virtual assistant that will help you contact roadside assistance or a Ford guide in case of a breakdown.

The FordPass app is available for both Android and iOS devices. Existing Ford owners can also avail of this app to access their vehicle’s service and maintenance history and get timely service reminders.

Press Release

New Delhi, February 12, 2020 

Ford today introduced its globally-renowned mobility and connectivity solution FordPass for customers in India, delivering on the company’s commitment to providing 100 per cent of its vehicles to be built with connectivity. 

FordPass – the one-stop smartphone app meeting diverse ownership needs -- will make Ford the only company in India to offer connectivity as a standard feature across all its models and variants. FordPass and its associated connected services will be offered to all Ford owners at no additional cost.

“Right from offering Bluetooth a decade ago to voice-enabled SYNC, Ford cars have introduced intuitive technologies that elevate customer experience,” said Anurag Mehrotra, president & managing director, Ford India. “In line with our vision, we are now democratizing in-car technologies by offering the connected car solutions across the model range, free-ofcost.”

Starting with the recently introduced 2020 Ford EcoSport, all BSVI compliant Ford vehicles will come with a factory-fitted, cloud-connected device that will communicate with vehicle owners in real-time via the FordPass smartphone application. 

The cloud-connected device will work on a 4G data connection, paid for by Ford for unlimited use for three-years from the date of purchase of their vehicle.

Ford owners with connected vehicles will be able to perform several vehicle operations -- like starting, stopping, locking or unlocking a vehicle – remotely, via the FordPass app. The FordPass smartphone application has been categorized into four broad sections – Accounts, Move, Find & Guide – making it hassle-free for owners to perform diverse tasks through simple tabs. 

Accounts

After downloading the FordPass application, users will be required to create an account and add their Ford cars to this account. The registration and login procedures require users to share basic information for two-factor authentication. 

The primary vehicle owners can use the account section to grant secondary authorisation for temporary use of their vehicle by people they trust. Customers with multiple Ford cars will be able to pair all their vehicles to their registered account. Owners will also be able to book a test-drive for their next purchase.

Move FordPass application will use the cloud-connected device in a Ford car to access and provide real-time vehicle information to its owners. This information exchange will enable Ford owners to stay connected, monitor and control their vehicle via the FordPass smartphone application. 

Using the move section on the FordPass app, owners will be able to perform several critical tasks and access key vehicle statistics, including:

-  Remotely start, stop, lock or unlock their vehicle* 

- Check vehicle health 

- Know remaining fuel levels & distance to empty

- Check the levels of oils* 

- Monitor tyre pressure* 

- Know the odometer reading 

- Check availability of parts their costs - Locate your vehicle via FordPass app

Ford owners will also have access to their vehicle’s service & maintenance history and will get timely service reminders through FordPass, allowing them to stay on top of their vehicle's maintenance needs even when they are away from the vehicle. The move section of the app will also enable users to access how-to-videos that acquaint them with the basics of using FordPass. 

Find

FordPass helps customers to discover what's available around them and where they'd like to go. From showing nearby fuel stations, to points of interest & locating Ford dealers, the section will enable app users to find and get directions to their point of interest. 

Guides

The guides section is a virtual help desk for Owners. To help them move more efficiently, the Guide section aids any FordPass user who needs help on the commute – regardless of location. 

All FordPass users can quickly get one-on-one help from specially trained guides. From the Guides home screen on the app, users can choose to search a knowledge base of self help articles, call or email a Ford Guide or call for roadside assistance. 

Existing Ford owners too will be able to use FordPass app to locate dealers, find directions, access service history at the touch of a button. FordPass smartphone app is available for download on both Google Play Store and App Store for Android and iOS users respectively.