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The 2021 Ford Broncos Off-Road Trail Map Navigation System Will Leave Jeepers Jealous

If you want to get way out into the woods, desert, or mud with a 2021 Ford Bronco , youll be happy to know that the company has an onboard solution to help get you back homeno external GPS device needed. The new Bronco has features baked into its SYNC 4 system that will allow users to create, share, and navigate off-road routes right from the integrated 8.0- or 12.0-inch central infotainment screenjust the thing to set this new off-road SUV apart from its competition ( ahem , Jeep Wrangler!). We've simulated what it might this not-nav setup look like above, using information about what maps the system will use. Before we dive any further into the (admittedly limited) details that we have on this system and how itll work, the integration here is the best part. Theres no dedicated GPS deviceor phone, tablet, or laptop running GPS softwarerequired, and that prevents a whole host of problems. Forget a charging cable and your Google Mapsequipped phone runs out of juice, and you might be stuck looking at your backup paper topo maps. You brought those, right? --> Even if Fords system isnt an owners primary navigation device, it could be an incredibly handy backup if their preferred external system loses signal in, say, dense woods or a steep canyon. Maybe the Broncos system will have signal, maybe it wont, but two locating devices are always better than one. Moreover, we know the system will allow for the upload of GPS data files created by common navigation programs, like the .GPX files that many popular devices from Garmin, Nvi, and apps like Gaia use. That means you arent locked into using a Ford interface to create GPS routes, although you certainly can. Being able to upload a GPS file means that you can also share it with others coming along for your journey, so youre all using the same track, regardless of which trail nav system they're running. It appears that an updated version of the FordPass interface , called FordPass Performance, is how Bronco owners will plan, navigate, and share GPS information. What exactly FordPass Performance can do is a bit unclear, although Ford confirmed this interface is how owners will upload GPS files. Its a safe bet that owners will also be able to modify and download routes and files as well. Whether this functionality works offline is also an open question. Ford also says that there are pre-loaded trail maps available that should work offline, recording the route as you go. But what maps are the Ford Bronco using? The AccuTerra topographical map set from NeoTreks, which is also an optional map on popular outdoor navigation programs like BackCountry Navigator, Gaia, and Singletracks. Its a cleaner take on the traditional topo map, with a clear look and color palette more similar to Googles Terrain maps than, say, the busy old-style USGS topo maps. It incorporates over 250,000 trails, and covers the whole U.S. If you want a preview of what AccuTerra might look like on the Ford Bronco, you can play with the topo version of the map at the AccuTerra website . Ford says that trail information from Trails Offroad and FunTreks will also be included. The former includes detailed trail info, including trail reports and basic details, as well as the ability to download .GPX files for specific trails and get detailed route information. FunTreks provides a similar amount of information on various trails. How much of the information thats available online to subscribers or account holders that will be incorporated into the Broncos special SYNC 4 system isnt totally clear at this time, but it should give Bronco owners more info about trails than a typical external GPS device. Ford says this trail guide information will cover more than 1,000 trails. A Ford spokesperson told us that more info on this system or how it works wont be available until closer to launch, but the system sounds incredibly promising. The proof will be how it actually works in practice, and especially way out in the backcountry. When theres no cell signal and your backup GPS device dies, how robust will Fords integrated solution be? Based on what were seeing, were hopeful that itll be good enough that most Bronco buyers could leave their other device at home. We cant wait to try this systemand the Bronco itselfout on some remote trails soon. The post The 2021 Ford Broncos Off-Road Trail Map Navigation System Will Leave Jeepers Jealous appeared first on MotorTrend .

http://www.motortrend.com/news/2021-ford-bronco-offroad-navigation-gps-system-sync/

 

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