Now you can operate the Ford Ranger with your phone

Certain functions on the 2020 Ford Ranger utility will soon be operable from your smartphone, the car-maker has confirmed.

Ford Australia has announced its connected services program, FordPass Connect, will be standard fitment on the Ranger ute and Everest SUV from mid-year, before being extended to other models within the Blue Oval’s local portfolio before year’s end.

Similar to existing programs available from Tesla and Hyundai, among others, the Ford system works via a modem and sim card that enable remote vehicle functions through a smartphone with the FordPass application installed.

Key features of the app include the ability to start and stop the vehicle remotely (which also adjusts climate heating/cooling to the previous setting), remote locking and unlocking, vehicle status monitoring (fuel readout, tyre pressure and trip mileage), live traffic updates, vehicle location data and vehicle health alerts.

It’s understood the technology can rove between Telstra, Optus and Vodafone networks in Australia, depending on which offers the strongest signal.

Ford says the technology will be installed without any change to the Ranger’s recommended retail price. The use of data on the sim card is included in the Ranger’s purchase price, covering the first three years of ownership, but will incur an annual fee thereafter.

FordPass Connect is similar in design to rival systems from BMW, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla, but its installation in the Ranger marks the first time a ute will offer such equipment in Australia.

Connected apps are set to become more prevalent in the new vehicle market, but as Mercedes-Benz recently discovered with its Mercedes-Me app, they are not immune to error.