Farmington Hills, Mich. — Pioneer Automotive Technologies said Ford will include Pioneer’s new DVD-based navigation/entertainment systems in select Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles.
The new system will offer turn-by-turn route guidance navigation that pronounces all street names, touch-screen display, AM/FM tuner and an integrated six-disc CD player with MP3 playback. It is Pioneer’s first OEM navigation system in North America.
Ford will offer the system on seven vehicles for the 2006 model year, including the Ford Explorer, Ford Freestyle, Ford Five Hundred, Ford Explorer SportTrac, Mercury Montego, Mercury Mountaineer and Lincoln Zephyr.
Although the features will be similar, the products will contain “uniquely optimized software and hardware” for each model. Differentiating features include a splash screen identifying the Ford, Mercury and Lincoln logos; different button shapes and colors; and different backlighting. The Lincoln Zephyr will also provide THX-II Certified audio.
Other features shared by all the Pioneer models include a 6.5-inch TFT screen and motorized faceplate. The units are also Sirius-ready, said the company.
