Vroom, vroom: Amazon Cloud Player now available in Ford cars
The app for Ford Sync AppLink allows people to stream their music using voice commands or dashboard controls.
"We want customers to be able enjoy their entire music library wherever they want, from whatever device they choose," said Steve Boom, vice president of digital music at Amazon. "And we know that cars and music go hand-in-hand."
Ford earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show announced nine new apps for its in-car software platform, bringing its total to about 20. Included among those unveiled at the show was Amazon's Cloud Player, a program that allows people to stream or download songs they have stored in the cloud or have purchased through Amazon's site.
Car makers have pushed infotainment as one way to attract new buyers. At CES, Ford and General Motors both announced developer programs for their software, essentially replicating the ecosystem of a smartphone on the dashboard.
To use the Ford's Sync AppLink apps, the driver needs to have them installed on a smartphone, connected to the car by either Bluetooth for Android or a cable for iOS. The integration with Sync AppLink not only lets the apps play audio through the car's speakers, but also includes sophisticated voice commands. The driver can also control the apps through a car's touch screen or dashboard controls.
Amazon noted that millions of customers use its Cloud Player to download, manage, and stream their music. The company added that the integration of the app with Ford vehicles is the latest in a series of new digital music features Amazon has launched in recent months. Earlier this year, Amazon announced AutoRip, which gives customers free MP3 versions of certain CDs they've purchased from Amazon.