<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/tech/" rel="tag">Technology</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/fiat/" rel="tag">Fiat</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20101128/COL14/11280448/1331/BUSINESS01/Ford-may-soon-lose-a-competitive-Sync-edge"><img vspace="4" hspace="0" border="1" alt="Microsoft branded auto USB port" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/blue-and-me.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
It recognizes hundreds of voice commands. It will interface with your Bluetooth-enabled smart phone. It was co-developed with Microsoft. Sounds like <a href="http://autoblog.com/make/ford/">Ford's</a> popular SYNC tech, right? Sure does, but it also smacks of <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/fiat/">Fiat's</a> Blue & Me system that has been in production in Europe since 2007. The technology will be available stateside when the tiny <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/fiat+500">Fiat 500</a> goes on sale early in 2011. The cost? $500 in a base 500, and the system is standard on uplevel Sport and Lounge models.<br />
<br />
Like the Fiat 500 itself, Blue & Me certainly sound compelling, but it's one small niche product in a sea of cars, trucks and crossovers. Perhaps more significant is the fact that Fiat's infotainment tech could be available in Chrysler products as early as 2012. And while B&M apparently doesn't do everything as well as SYNC, it also carries some advantages of its own. For instance, 500 Sport and Lounge buyers can shell out an extra $400 for an optional Tom Tom navigation system that interfaces with the voice command system. Fiat also enables drivers to download their driving habits to a USB stick and load it to a website called Eco:Ville. The site will process the data and give drivers tips for more efficient driving. <br />
<br />
So will Blue & Me become as popular as SYNC? Who knows, but at the very least it's nice to see that competition for Ford's system is on the way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500">LA 2010: 2011 Fiat 500</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/002011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/012011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/022011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/032011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/042011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a></div><br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20101128/COL14/11280448/1331/BUSINESS01/Ford-may-soon-lose-a-competitive-Sync-edge">Detroit Free Press</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/30/will-fords-sync-lose-ground-to-fiats-blue-and-me/">Will Ford's Sync lose ground to Fiat's Blue & Me?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.freep.com/article/20101128/COL14/11280448/1331/BUSINESS01/Ford-may-soon-lose-a-competitive-Sync-edge>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/30/will-fords-sync-lose-ground-to-fiats-blue-and-me/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19737318/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/30/will-fords-sync-lose-ground-to-fiats-blue-and-me/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More...
<br />
It recognizes hundreds of voice commands. It will interface with your Bluetooth-enabled smart phone. It was co-developed with Microsoft. Sounds like <a href="http://autoblog.com/make/ford/">Ford's</a> popular SYNC tech, right? Sure does, but it also smacks of <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/fiat/">Fiat's</a> Blue & Me system that has been in production in Europe since 2007. The technology will be available stateside when the tiny <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/fiat+500">Fiat 500</a> goes on sale early in 2011. The cost? $500 in a base 500, and the system is standard on uplevel Sport and Lounge models.<br />
<br />
Like the Fiat 500 itself, Blue & Me certainly sound compelling, but it's one small niche product in a sea of cars, trucks and crossovers. Perhaps more significant is the fact that Fiat's infotainment tech could be available in Chrysler products as early as 2012. And while B&M apparently doesn't do everything as well as SYNC, it also carries some advantages of its own. For instance, 500 Sport and Lounge buyers can shell out an extra $400 for an optional Tom Tom navigation system that interfaces with the voice command system. Fiat also enables drivers to download their driving habits to a USB stick and load it to a website called Eco:Ville. The site will process the data and give drivers tips for more efficient driving. <br />
<br />
So will Blue & Me become as popular as SYNC? Who knows, but at the very least it's nice to see that competition for Ford's system is on the way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500">LA 2010: 2011 Fiat 500</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/002011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/012011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/022011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/032011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/la-2010-2011-fiat-500/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/042011fiat500_thumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Fiat 500" title="2011 Fiat 500" /></a></div><br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20101128/COL14/11280448/1331/BUSINESS01/Ford-may-soon-lose-a-competitive-Sync-edge">Detroit Free Press</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/30/will-fords-sync-lose-ground-to-fiats-blue-and-me/">Will Ford's Sync lose ground to Fiat's Blue & Me?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.freep.com/article/20101128/COL14/11280448/1331/BUSINESS01/Ford-may-soon-lose-a-competitive-Sync-edge>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/30/will-fords-sync-lose-ground-to-fiats-blue-and-me/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19737318/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/30/will-fords-sync-lose-ground-to-fiats-blue-and-me/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More...