Ford said to drop Microsoft for BlackBerry’s QNX in Sync system

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chief executive officer Alan Mulally, who was said to be a candidate to become Microsoft’s CEO until early this year, has seen Ford slump in surveys by J.D. Power & Associates and Consumer Reports, with customers citing malfunctioning tech systems and touch screens. The second-largest US automaker has said the quality of its vehicles have been mixed each of the past three years and fell short of its plan to improve those results in 2013.

 

Improving Sync is crucial for Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford to draw car shoppers who are increasingly looking to be connected at all times. In-vehicle technology is the top selling point for 39% of auto buyers, more than twice the 14% who say their first consideration is traditional performance measures such as power and speed, according to a study by the consulting firm Accenture released in December.