Ford reports that connectivity technology helps boost productivity in businesses

Business errands are made more efficient when entrepreneurs can leverage on mobile technology in their vehicles.

This is according to a new survey by Ford and Manta, an online resource dedicated to small business. The company surveyed 1,202 small business owners via online poll between Sept. 4 and Sept. 8 2015.

Almost three-quarters of respondents say they would be more productive if they could make hands-free calls through a Bluetooth-enabled system like SYNC 3 – Ford’s new communications and entertainment technology that features faster performance, more conversational voice recognition, a more intuitive smartphone-like touch screen and easier-to-understand graphical interface to help Ford customers connect on the road.

Ford Sync consists of applications and user interfaces developed by Ford and other third-party developers. The first two generations run on the Windows Embedded Automotive operating system designed by Microsoft, while the third generation (Sync 3) will run on the QNX software from BlackBerry Limited.

Ford first announced the release of SYNC in January 2007 at the Detroit International Auto Show.[5] SYNC was released into the retail market in 2007 when Ford installed the technology in twelve Ford group vehicles (2008 model) in North America.[6]

For some respondents – 25 percent – hands-free phone calls are the No. 1 thing that gets them through spending a lot of time in their vehicles.