Gone are the days where the inside of trucks were all work and no play. If the last memory of sitting inside a pickup was your dad’s old Ford Ranger from the 90s (mine was), things have changed… a lot. New technologies allow occupants to stream music from their phone or media device through the vehicle’s media system, dial an operator for directions to the nearest coffee shop, or even surf the Internet from an in-dash screen. Here is a closer look at some of the coolest gadgetry.

Ford F-150 — MyFord Touch

Ford Canada photo

The MyFord Touch system is found across Ford’s lineup, customized for each vehicle. Based on a Microsoft platform, it allows you to control vehicle settings (climate, audio, navigation) and/or a synced electronic device via your voice, buttons on the steering wheel and dash, or directly from the main screen.

It also provides full Wi-Fi capability turning the truck into an Internet hotspot. On the F-150, the buttons are designed so they are easily operable while wearing work gloves and there is a larger screen for improved readability.

Chevrolet Silverado — MyLink

GM Canada photo

Ease-of-use is the main selling point of the Chevrolet Silverado MyLink infotainment system. A customizable home screen displayed on the eight-inch monitor allows drivers quick access to their most-used features like Pandora Internet Radio or OnStar navigation.

Voice recognition is available as well, and there are plenty of connectivity options for your smartphone like Bluetooth or USB. The system is equipped with Gracenote technology that identifies the music on whatever device is connected and instantly indexes the songs, assigning voice tags making them easily searchable by voice.

First published on the Darpan Magazine website. Read the full article.