Ford’s first vehicle w/ Android Auto will be 2017 Escape in May

Ford today announced that its first vehicle to offer support for Google’s Android Auto in-dash system will be the 2017 Escape going on sale in May.

The vehicle will include the latest version of Ford’s SYNC platform, version 3, which brings new connected software and hardware features to its vehicles including the introduction of both Apple CarPlay and Google’s competitive Android Auto platform.

The new Escape, which goes on sale in May, will be the first Ford vehicle available with all-new SYNC® Connect technology, making the ownership experience easier through vehicle features such as remote start and door locking via the new FordPass® platform. Escape will also be first to offer SYNC 3 featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

And thanks to multiple new attention-to-detail stations at Louisville Assembly Plant, Ford is putting more emphasis than ever on delivering the highest-quality Escape to its customers.

Google’s Android Auto platform, like Apple’s competitive CarPlay, allows smartphone users access to Android features like phone calls, music, maps, messages, podcasts, audiobooks and more through a vehicle’s in-dash display. The features are available through a number of Google’s own and third-party apps that support the platform, but it requires a connected smartphone.

Earlier this year Ford announced that it would finally launch support for Android Auto this year in its new vehicles, as well as updates to some of its older models.