The latest entry in Ford’s Super Duty series isn’t just another model year. The upgrade for this model year’s outing is more indicative of what customers have been clamoring for regarding features and accessory updates for the popular pickup brand. In fact, the company decided to dip its toe more into accommodating the requests of tech-savvy shoppers with the 2022 Ford Super Duty. How? By making it more synchronized with the high-tech world that it inhabits.
Few Changes; Big Difference
It’s easy to brush off the heavy-duty pickups offered by the big three automakers as little more than workhorses, but they offer a lot more utility than that. In recent years we’ve seen how Ram and GMC have fine-tuned their heavy-duty outings to accommodate those who want more luxury and finesse from their three-quarter-ton and half-ton offerings. It’s no surprise that Ford also decided to start dabbling a little bit more into expanding the offerings of the Super Duty line.
But like many of Ford’s recent updates and innovations, it’s not just about catering the 2022 Super Duty toward those who want an off-road vehicle, work truck, or a luxury ride. They decided that what few changes they were going to make for the model year would be significant. Specifically, to court the kind of crowd who enjoys the futurism of automobiles.
What am I talking about? Well, none other than the SYNC 4 infotainment upgrade and overhaul the 2022 Ford Super Duty received. Maybe you heard about it, or maybe you haven’t, but it makes quite a difference when you’re considering a heavy-duty truck that does more than just haul payloads and lug heavy trailers. You might have missed it among some of the other changes and packages the Super Duty received, such as the Lariat Sport and Black Appearance update, but it’s probably the most significant change that customers will pay attention to.
How SYNC 4 Improves the 2022 Ford Super Duty
Ford’s patented SYNC technology is still a core anchor in the technological capabilities of the Super Duty. But even more so than the previous outing. The SYNC 4 system runs on a 12-inch center touchscreen, allowing the driver or front passenger to quickly navigate or access information or entertainment with a tap of the screen. If you’re inclined to fiddle the knobs and dials using old-school methods of interaction, physical buttons are available so you can still quickly access the infotainment features you want without having to actually touch the screen.
With the addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SYNC 4 also means you can seamlessly connect your smart devices to your Super Duty with ease. No cords are necessary. This has been a highly sought-after feature in a lot of recent vehicles by potential shoppers. A lot of people love the idea of integrating their smartphone or tablet functionality into their vehicle’s ecosystem without having to plug anything in. This is all thanks to the Bluetooth wireless technology, which enables cord-free connectivity. It’s also the natural evolution of our technologically advanced society, where over-the-air communication is becoming more and more standard in nearly every industry that interfaces with the tech sector.
What’s more, even if you don’t want to fumble around with touchscreens and knobs while driving, the SYNC 4 technology offers complete access via voice-controlled interactivity. This means that you can very easily open up pages, access apps, or even stream multimedia by giving simple voice commands. You can even make use of the large touchscreen to split the functionality between multiple windows, allowing you to access vehicle information pages, apps, and multimedia all at the same time.
You may not think that this is necessary for a heavy-duty pickup, but it certainly makes the 2022 Ford Super Duty so much more enticing with these added features. In fact, it makes it a lot more convenient for people who just want a truck that has great interior technology within its cabin. The SYNC 4 system definitely appeals to the tech-hungry crowd while still being attractive for truckers who need a serious workhorse.
Differences Between SYNC 3 and SYNC 4
The biggest differences between SYNC 3 and SYNC 4 are about as significant as the differences between SYNC 2 and SYNC 3. Ford’s in-house infotainment suite receives fairly significant updates with each outing, and SYNC 4 received some very useful new features in addition to a lot of new processing power. In fact, SYNC 4 features twice the processing power of the SYNC 3 suite, giving you shorter load times, faster app access, and more overall features.
This is very similar to the kind of upgrades the SYNC 3 received over the SYNC 2, the latter of which did not have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto support. This addition alone made the SYNC 3 much more popular in Ford vehicles and helped keep it competitive with the technological advances being made throughout the rest of the automotive industry.
However, with SYNC 4, the upgrades have been taken a step further. Instead of requiring drivers or passengers to plug their device into the vehicle, the SYNC 4 allows for wireless access to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. So now you can sync up your data and access your media faster than ever before and without the use of any cumbersome cords or cables.
Accessing the touchscreen is also far more user-friendly now that Ford allows the SYNC 4 system to scale up to 15.5-inch touchscreens. That’s a significant upgrade over the largest SYNC 3 infotainment suite, which topped out at just 8 inches and was embedded into the dashboard with a concave design. The newer touchscreens are a lot more accessible thanks to protruding out of the dashboard, making it easier to access apps and features through the static-free, capacitive display unit.
SYNC 4 also upgrades the voice-activated functionality, with the voice recognition software being updated to respond quicker and timelier than ever before. Another really huge difference is the over-the-air updates, allowing Ford to update the SYNC 4 technology without requiring a visit to the dealership service center. I’m sure every Ford owner with access to SYNC 4 technology duly appreciates the step up from SYNC 3.
The Benefits of Being Tech-Savvy
While some people might see all the fancy gadgets and gizmos being introduced into newer model year pickups as a fad, they actually do a lot more than just keep people occupied and entertained during travels. With the inclusion of over-the-air updates and a stronger integration into vital vehicle systems and sensors, every new iteration of the SYNC technology suite brings users closer and closer to managing your vehicle from the palm of your hands.
From a utility standpoint, it’s an invaluable tool to have instant access to your vehicle’s health and status without constantly relying on a mechanic to monitor certain components. Just the same, it’s also awesome to be able to listen to your favorite tunes, access your favorite media, or instantly boot up your playlists from your smartphone without ever having to plug it into the truck. For people who use their Ford Super Duty trucks for work purposes, this makes it super easy to sync your work schedule with apps like Glympse or schedule meetings using Cisco Webex, right within the vehicle itself. You can also keep your business operating smoothly without any switches between your workstation and your pickup truck.
That kind of connectivity and workflow synergy saves a ton of time, makes it easy to keep track of scheduling and tasks, and also eases up the burden of paperwork or back and forth calls to an assistant. With the added ability to utilize voice-activated commands and multi-task by opening multiple windows on the touchscreen, it’s easy to see why the 2022 Ford Super Duty would make for a perfect companion for tech-savvy truck shoppers. I can hardly imagine what sort of advancements we can look forward to when SYNC 5 finally arrives.
