2024 is the year of the video game in the automobile.
We often wonder in the first weeks of January what strong theme will define the year in different sectors of the economy, and in the automotive industry, it seems that we already have a candidate for this theme in 2024: video games.
After Mercedes-Benz talked a lot in the past three weeks about the arrival of video games in all their forms on board their future vehicles, it was now Ford and Lincoln’s turn to promise a new video game entertainment offering on their own new releases later this year.
Ford seems to be abandoning the name Sync in favor of a new system called Digital Experience, which is designed to animate the multimedia systems of both Ford and Lincoln vehicles. It will start on board the 2024 Nautilus, a redesigned Lincoln midsize SUV that is expected to be very high-tech.
The Digital Experience system on board the Nautilus takes the form of a huge 48-inch display, which is gigantic, but there will also be smaller versions available on the more affordable Ford vehicles.
In any case, it is the Google Automotive platform that forms the basis of the interface. This allows Ford and Lincoln to directly display Google Maps navigation data, provided of course that the system is connected to a wireless network. By default, Ford will allow its interface to be controlled by voice, by interacting with Google Assistant, but people can also choose to activate Alexa, Amazon’s voice command, which is also part of the Digital Experience system.
Additionally, unlike other manufacturers, Ford continues to offer wireless CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces, just in case.
Finally, going back to video games, Ford’s system will have access to Google’s Play Store, which allows for the download of various entertainment applications, including video games, Ford emphasized. The first game offered is a racing game called Asphalt Nitro, which can be played by pairing a controller via Bluetooth.
Obviously, to play, the vehicle must be parked.
But still, the trend is set…
