2021 Ford F-150 and Mustang Mach-E Owners: New Features Coming Your Way

Ford is rolling out a number of over-the-air updates for its Sync 4-equipped 2021 Ford F-150 and Mustang Mach-E through what it’s calling Power-Up software updates. Since late March, more than 100,000 vehicles have already received some of these updates, but more are on the way. Updates include bug fixes, enhanced functionality for existing features and entirely new features.

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Bugs Be Gone

Bug fixes include an issue with zone lighting in the F-150 and Android Auto connectivity issues; Ford says the latter issue should be addressed by June. Enhancements for existing features include an upgrade to Apple CarPlay that will display turn-by-turn directions in the instrument panel and improvements to the built-in native navigation system. Ford also says it will be improving the digital owner’s manual feature that’s accessible via the touchscreen.

Additional enhancements involve the FordPass app. Remote Vehicle Setup lets users create user profiles using the app, allowing personal preferences like radio station presets and the like to be sent via the cloud to the vehicle. Trip Logs adds enhanced trip-tracking features, including battery usage data for the Mustang Mach-E.

New Features

A new feature coming in updates includes the highly anticipated BlueCruise hands-free driving software for F-150s and Mustang Mach-Es with the appropriate hardware (a software purchase is also required). Our long-term F-150 is prepped for this feature, and we look forward to its arrival sometime later in the year.

Another new feature coming to the Mustang Mach-E is a feature called either Sketch or Notes that Ford says can be used for “touchscreen drawing and simple gaming.”

Ford is also partnering with Amazon to bring enhanced Amazon Alexa connectivity to Sync 4-equipped models later this fall. The vehicle list includes the Bronco, Edge, F-150, Mustang Mach-E and F-Series Super Duty heavy-duty pickup trucks.

Ford says some Power-Up updates can occur in the background while the system is running, while others may require a system reboot. In the case of the latter, the automaker recommends scheduling the updates for times such as overnight. According to Ford, updates could happen in as little as two minutes, though some will take longer.

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