Ford’s new Digital Experience brings Android and Apple into balance

Ford is rolling out its new Android -based “Digital Experience” across its vehicle lineup.

The new Nautilus provides what I think is the best balance of phone mirroring and built-in software that we’ve seen yet.

Ford ’s strategy is to go big with screens in the luxury segment and pare things back in vehicles like the 2025 Explorer.

In the Nautilus , streaming video apps only work while parked, and in the 2025 Navigator, it works on the center touchscreen, but not on the pano display.

Lincoln 's menus on the touchscreen work like a breeze, with gorgeous animations running in Epic ’s Unreal Engine and a powerful processor with capabilities that clearly match some gaming Android phones.

Surveys show growing customer dissatisfaction with in-car tech, especially touchscreen software.

People are overwhelmed, and Ford ’s response seems to be to add more screens, which is not a guarantee for success.

Longtime Lincoln fans who appreciate more physical controls (or at least dedicated touch buttons) on previous generation models could find the digital experience too overwhelming.