Ford NZ vehicles just got smarter with new app

FordPass means you can check your vehicle’s fuel level from your smartphone. Photo: Ford NZ

New Zealand customers can now experience FordPass Connect, with the new Rangers, Transits and Everests arriving in dealerships soon the first vehicles to gain the smart technology.

The FordPass Connect embedded modem pairs with the FordPass smartphone app to unlock a range of new connected services.

These include Vehicle Status feature, where owners can check their vehicle’s fuel level, tyre pressures and mileage via their smartphone.

Drivers can start their vehicle’s engine via the app from home, the office or elsewhere via smartphone, enabling the vehicle’s cabin to commence heating or cooling to the last known setting.

You can also lock and unlock your Ford remotely, and have Live Traffic Updates. 

A courtesy of a map and location tracker in the FordPass app means drivers can find their way back to their vehicle in a busy parking area without the need to remember where they parked it. You can also share your vehicle with one or more members of your household.

The app means you can turn on the air conditioning of the vehicle before you get in. Photo: Ford NZ

“FordPass Connect is another way we’re bringing smart, simple-to-use real-world technology into the hands of Ford owners and their families,” said Simon Rutherford, Managing Director, Ford New Zealand.

“FordPass Connect makes life simpler and easier, and as our best-selling vehicles in New Zealand, we’ve chosen Ranger, Everest and Transit as the first to offer this innovative technology as standard.”

The FordPass app is now available for download free of charge for Apple and Android devices, with immediate benefits for customers with compatible Ford models.

Going forward, all Ford new model year releases will arrive fitted with FordPass Connect, with full line-up coverage to be achieved by early 2021.

“Whether you’re a young family, small business or just like the convenience, FordPass Connect can really make so many day-to-day tasks easier,” said Garth Thomas, Mobility and Connectivity Manager, Ford New Zealand.

In addition to FordPass Connect, every new Ford model release will include a comprehensive suite of technology for a seamless, convenient vehicle experience. This includes SYNC 3, enabling Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice-activated sat-nav as well as Autonomous Emergency Braking across the entire Ford line-up.