In 2021, Ford and Google formed a partnership where they planned to offer the Android Automotive operating system in Ford and Lincoln vehicles. The plan was slightly delayed but the fruit of the partnership is finally here. Today, Ford has unveiled the Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience, a platform based on Android Automotive that will power infotainment systems and instrument clusters in future Ford and Lincoln vehicles.
The Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience has the Google Play Store, which means that you can download applications on it just like you do on your smartphone. What’s equally impressive is that the system updates and app updates on the platform are independent of each other, which means that developers can offer updates to apps separately from system updates and you can enjoy new features in apps without waiting for system updates from the car manufacturer. Fortunately, it also supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Which cars will get Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience?
The first car with the Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience will be the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus, which will have a 48-inch display, spanning from one end of the dashboard to the other. This screen will most likely handle the duties of an instrument cluster, which includes showing various vehicle parameters, such as speed and tire pressure, and navigation, and some duties of an infotainment display, including showing weather and time. There will be another display in the vehicle which will purely serve as an infotainment display.
Ford says “The Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience is the fastest infotainment system Ford and Lincoln has ever offered.” According to the company, it has five times more main processing power, 14 times more graphics processing power, four times more memory, and eight times more storage compared to “today’s Ford and Lincoln in-vehicle infotainment system.” It also has 5G connectivity and and Wi-Fi hotspot. Currently, it is unclear if this will be the case with just the Lincoln Nautilus or all Ford and Lincoln vehicles.
