Ford and Lincoln Unveil Huge New 48-Inch Digital Dash

Size is the immediate takeaway from a first glance at Ford and Lincoln’s new Digital Experience. The two brands’ new 4k-resolution infotainment unit spans 48 inches across the dash of a vehicle and is powered by an Android-based operating system. Apple users needn’t worry, as Ford, unlike other OEMs, has promised not to gatekeep buyer’s preferred method of phone projection.

It's clear from the brand’s announcement that what Ford really cares about is the level of personalization the screen will offer buyers. Like your phone, apps can be positioned in any order on the display, and supporting info like the weather, fuel economy, and media is visible on the right side of the screen, which Ford says will help keep eyes further up towards the windscreen. In the same vein, priority information like BlueCruise status will be kept just under the driver's line of sight. Profiles allow different drivers to set various preferences too, like apps, contacts, oft-visited destinations, and more. The system will also adjust physical seating parameters like the wheel and mirror positions, as well as the seats themselves, based on the user.

Of course, much of the system is built with the use of Google’s slew of apps in mind. Predictably, Maps is at the center of it all, with real-time traffic updates and other familiar features like road conditions, eco-friendly routes, and more. Google voice assistant is the default for controlling vehicle parameters like temperature adjustment, and destination requests as well as the usual range of functions. As an alternative, Alexa Built-In is also available.

Google Play, the brand's app store, serves as the interface for downloading apps like Spotify. Additionally, users can play select games (while parked, of course) via a Bluetooth-linked controller, and stream via YouTube, Prime, and others. Ford has also said that video conferencing apps are coming too, again available only while parked. Ford and Lincoln will be using this system for quite some time, and a good bit of future-proofing has gone into the system thanks to in-car 5G wireless, wifi hotspot, and over-the-air software update capability. The system will first be available in the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus before moving to other products in the two brand’s respective lineups.

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