Location-sharing service Glympse, which enables users to share their location for a limited time, has launched an in-car voice-activated option using the Ford SYNC AppLink. It means that drivers can send their real-time location to friends and colleagues using voice commands.
Customers simply connect their iOS or Android smartphone to the Ford Sync system via Bluetooth or USB lead. The car will automatically recognise if the app has been installed and will respond when drivers press the SYNC button on the steering wheel and say ‘Send Glympse’.
Glympse messages can be sent by email, to a mobile phone, to Facebook or to Twitter. The sender’s location can then be monitored on a map until the user-defined time limit expires.
Bryan Trussel, co-founder and CEO of Glympse, said “People typically share their location while in the car, and by integrating Glympse into Ford SYNC AppLink, we’re providing drivers with a rich, real-time and hands-free way to share where they are. At Glympse, we’re dedicated to creating a more robust connected car experience, and working with Ford will help us to reach millions of consumers who will be able to just say, ‘Send a Glympse’ to share their current whereabouts, eliminating the need to send a text or make a phone call.”
Ford’s SYNC AppLink is currently available on more than 1 million vehicles.
We spoke to John Ellis from Ford about the company's mobile-related ambitions at Mobile World Congress last year. The conversation starts after approximately 35 minutes.
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