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Ford patents a multi-touch version of its classic keypad

For decades, Ford has offered a keypad on the doors of their cars that would allow owners access with the right code. Amazingly, the keypad has survived almost unchanged except for a recent touch button version. A new patent from the Blue Oval shows the keypad may get a big upgrade soon. The first big change is that it looks like the keypad may move to the key fob. Although it might be possible to have it on the car itself as well, the patent only seems to focus on the key fob. In addition, the fob will now be a multi-touch pad similar to that of modern smartphones. This will allow for more diverse code entries, according to the patent's description. Instead of just a simple number code, owners could enter a code that involves swipes and keystrokes, and even simultaneous keystrokes. For instance, you could enter a code that requires swiping from 1 to 3, followed by holding 2 and 4 to unlock the car. The patent also seems to indicate that this keypad would then display unlock functions and other functions on the fob after the correct code is entered, thus making it more than just a way to unlock the car. As for the practical implications of this keypad system update, it could provide an added layer of security. If someone steals your keys, they would have to also know your access code to get into the car. Whether this would also help make the key and car harder to hack would remain to be seen, though. Another possible benefit could be the prevention of accidental lock and alarm button presses, although that likely isn't a common issue. There could be potential downsides as well. If used as an extra layer of security, the legitimate owner would have to punch in their code on the fob to get in, which would render proximity key benefits relatively useless. Moving the keypad to the fob would also mean owners couldn't get into their cars without having the key with them. We don't have any clues as to when this could become a feature, but it doesn't seem like it would be difficult to implement, so it could show up in the next few years. Related Video: News Source: United States Patent and Trademark OfficeImage Credit: Ford, United States Patent and Trademark Office / Ford Auto News Ford Lincoln Technology keyless entry

2023 Lincoln Corsair gains a new face and more tech, loses buttons

The 2023 Lincoln Corsair heads into its next model year with a notable refresh inside and out.  Lincoln’s best-selling vehicle gains a number of items, but it also loses a big one: the previously optional 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Due to low take rate, Lincoln is dropping its most powerful engine from the lineup, making the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 250 horsepower the only pure-gasoline version of the 2023 Corsair. Lincoln says the 2.0-liter is updated and changed for emissions reasons, but it returns the same output and fuel economy as before. The Grand Touring PHEV carries over unchanged, so itÂ’s still rocking the 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder and single electric motor for a combined 266 horsepower. The exterior changes are largely contained to the CorsairÂ’s new face. It gets a totally new grille that is much larger than before. It features a wavy surface, and for the PHEV, it has a metallic foil surface with blue accents to denote its hybrid status. The lower front bumper is revised to accommodate the new grille design, and new wheel options are available across the board. No changes are made to the rear. Lastly, two new color options are available: Crystal Red and Whisper Blue. The blue is new to Lincoln, and seeing it in person, it skews more towards periwinkle than blue — we like it a lot. As for the interior, Lincoln has redesigned the center stack with a new 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen taking center stage. It runs Sync 4 technology, can be updated via over-the-air updates and features Amazon Alexa. YouÂ’ll be able to monitor the CorsairÂ’s new Auto Air Refresh system (an optional feature) via the infotainment system, too. It features a laser sensor and unique cabin air filter that constantly monitors the cabin air quality and is capable of refreshing the air in the cabin 1.5 times per minute. A 12.3-inch instrument cluster also runs new software for 2023, and it comes standard in the Corsair now. The new center stack designdeletes the large array of climate and media controls that were previously there, which Lincoln says was for the purpose of promoting a more airy cabin and a feeling of spaciousness. A volume knob is still present, but the vast majority of the functions previously controlled by buttons and knobs can now be found in the big, new touchscreen. Yes, that means the climate controls are now integrated into the touchscreen.

BMW, Hyundai score big in JD Power's first Tech Experience Index

While automakers are quick to brag about winning a JD Power Initial Quality Study award, the reality, as we've pointed out before, is that these ratings are somewhat misleading, since IQS doesn't necessarily distinguish genuine quality issues. JD Power's new Tech Experience Index aims to solve that problem. The new metric takes the same 90-day approach as IQS but focuses exclusively on technology – collision protection, comfort and convenience, driving assistance, entertainment and connectivity, navigation, and smartphone mirroring. It splits the industry up into just seven segments, based loosely on size, which is why the Chevrolet Camaro is in the same division (mid-size) as Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class is in the same segment as the Hyundai Genesis (mid-size premium). It makes for some screwy bedfellows, to be sure. Still, splitting tech experience away from initial quality should allow customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions when buying new vehicles. In the inaugural study, respondents listed BMW and Hyundai as the big winners, with two segment awards – the 2 Series for small premium and the 4 Series for compact premium, and the Genesis for mid-size premium and Tucson for small segment. The Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact), and Nissan Maxima (large) scored individual wins. Ford also had a surprising hit with the Lincoln MKC, which ranked third in the compact premium segment behind the 4 Series and Lexus IS. This is a coup for the Blue Oval, whose woeful MyFord Touch systems made the brand a victim of the IQS' flaws in the early 2010s. But Ford and other automakers might not want to celebrate just yet. According to JD Power, there's still a lot of room for improvement – navigation systems were the lowest-rated piece of tech in the study. Instead, customers repeatedly saluted collision-avoidance and safety systems, giving the category the best marks of the study and listing blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras as two must-have features – 96 percent of respondents said they wanted those two systems in their next vehicle. But this isn't really a surprise. Implementation of safety systems from brand to brand is similar, and they don't require any input from users, unlike navigation and infotainment systems which are frustratingly deep.