Alexa, What is Ford Power-Up?

Ford Power-Up, the latest Ford innovation offers over-the-air updates with features like Alexa and BlueCruise hands-free driving.

Remember back in the day when Ford truck updates included things like a heavier duty axle, a chrome bumper, and some restyled body panels? And if you wanted those updates you had to trade in your truck and get the new model. Well friends, time are changing and changing fast. Ford is innovating at an exponential rate. They are introducing more electric vehicles, including the electrification of their most iconic models. Their latest technology is called Ford Power-Up. Ford Power-Up may not give your vehicle enhanced weapons like the power-ups in Mario Kart. However, Ford owners will routinely be delivered new features and improvements through Power-Up, its wireless software update technology. It is the beginning of the new future of Ford vehicles. Ford posted a video on their YouTube channel that explains everything this new technology offers.

The Power-Up software updates deliver regular vehicle enhancements to Ford owners, turning connected vehicle learnings into continuous quality improvements, new features, and capabilities. Ford is expected to produce 33 million vehicles with Power-Up capability by 2028. The best part is, that you as the owner really don’t have to do anything and most updates will be seamless. For some updates that are larger and may require a reboot of the system it can be scheduled to take place overnight. Go to sleep tonight and wake up with an enhanced truck tomorrow.

Alexa, Start My Ford

One key aspect is the integration of Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant. The goal is to have Alexa as a built-in feature in 700,000 Ford vehicles in the U.S. and Canada this year. The F-150 and Mustang Mach-E equipped with Sync 4 technology will be the first to get Alexa integration beginning this fall. The much-anticipated new Ford Bronco will be next. Eventually Ford will roll it out across the entire lineup. From inside your Ford truck, you will be able to have Alexa control connected smart home devices. This will be the start of a new strategic engagement between Amazon and Ford. The companies plan to work together to deliver enhanced features and new commercial services over the next six years.

BlueCruise, Drive My Ford

BlueCruise is a new hands-free highway driving technology for properly equipped F-150 and Mach-E models. It is an update of Ford Co-Pilot360 technology that adds hands-free highway driving to Intelligent Cruise Control. It will allow you to drive hands-free on over 100,000 miles of pre-qualified sections of divided highways. Coming back from a tough day at the job site? Let your F-150 drive you home. Or at least the highway portions of your commute.

Ford Sketch, Draw My Ford

Ford Sketch will turn the touchscreen into a sketch pad and a gaming device. Want to play a game of tic-tac-toe? You can do that right on your Ford touchscreen using Ford Sketch. Want to do a bit of doodling or need a calculator? No problem, Ford Sketch can handle that as well. Of course, not all these features will be available while the vehicle is in motion. However, there is no arguing that this can be an entertaining and useful update to add to your ride.

Ford Power-Up, Fix My Ford

Cut down on dealer visits with over-the-air updates provided by Power-Up. Real-time data sharing can help Ford engineers identify and fix problems without the owner having to schedule a service visit. Issues can be identified, diagnosed, fixed and tested. When the fix is ready it can then be pushed out wirelessly to all vehicles impacted. This saves time and money for both the customer as well as Ford. It has been reported that a battery drain issue with some early Mach-E builds was resolved in this manner. It is estimated that the over the air fix saved Ford $20 million.

Ford Power-Up appears to be a major game changer for the company and the consumer. It offers advantages and features that could not be dreamed of even a few years ago. We are excited to watch the initial rollout and what new features will be added in the months and years to come.

Images: Ford.com

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.