DEARBORN, Mich. -

After Consumer Reports ranked Ford 20th in its overall reliability rankings last week, marking a 10-spot decline for the brand, problems were sited involving the nameplate’s MyFord Touch and SYNC technology by the publication and dealers alike.

Interestingly, just days after the results were out, Ford announced it is revamping these very same technologies.

Listening to dealers and customers who have apparently voiced concerns that the product could be faster and feature simpler graphics that are easier to use, Ford said it plans to deliver a broad set of performance upgrades to the system — launching first on the new 2013 Ford Escape, Flex and Taurus.

The upgrades — which will be available early next year — will also be offered at no charge to exisiting MyFord Touch-equipped vehicles, including the 2011 and 2012 models of Ford Explorer and Edge and the 2012 Focus.

Owners of 2011 and 2012 Lincoln MKX crossovers will also receive the upgrade for their MyLincoln Touch systems, officials explained.

“We’re seizing the opportunity to continuously improve the Ford ownership experience, and revolutionize what it means to own a car,” said Graydon Reitz, director of Ford global electronics and electrical systems engineering.

“Introducing new technology is only one step in our journey to become known as a technology company. Consistently improving it based on what our customers are telling us marks another milestone in that journey,” he continued.

Highlighting the significant upgrades to the system, officials noted the new touch-screen interface features simpler graphics and controls that are easier to use.

Customers will also experience significantly faster touch-screen response times, one of the top requests from owners, they noted.

New features will also include support for tablet devices and Audible.com audiobooks, improved navigation maps and enhanced voice recognition interaction.

As far as the visual enhancements go, MyFord Touch now touts simplified graphics with larger, bolder fonts, removing low-priority visual content, and designing screens based on a consistent pattern, the company explained.

More than 1,000 screens in total have been updated with the improved look.

“Our goal when designing the upgrade was to simplify the screens and give customers a fast and easy way to get information at any given moment,” said Jennifer Brace, user Interface design engineer for Ford.

“That meant removing buttons, relocating high-use controls closer to the driver’s reach, simplifying tasks and improving font size,” she added.

The fonts are larger, as well.

The new fonts are as much as 40 percent larger on some redesigned screens, as well as being wider and bolder to provide easier legibility.

For those interested in the software upgrades for the program, Ford offered the following list:

—Improved voice recognition experience powered by Nuance

–Quicker voice recognition upon startup and faster command prompt when the voice button is pushed.

–Voice commands used in conjunction with navigation are simplified through elimination of the need to provide street direction, for example, “Main Street” instead of “North Main Street.”

–Music requests are simpler by removing the need to include the additional song, album or artist information often found at the end of a name in parenthesis or brackets.

–Customers can find their favorite sports team in action via new Sirius Game Finder simply by saying a command such as “Tune to Detroit Lions game.”

—Tablet device compatibility

–Music and other media content from most popular tablet computers like the Apple iPad can now be accessed through a simple USB connection.

—Audible.com audiobook support

–Listen to Audible.com content using voice commands or the easy-to-use touch-screen controls.

—Connected navigation powered by TeleNav features new map data by NAVTEQ

–Updated map views are richer and feature more 3D landmarks.

–Views of freeway junctions and signs are enhanced through photorealistic screen images.

–Smart routing options are provided based on a database of historical traffic patterns.

—Phone compatibility

–Automatic Bluetooth connection upon vehicle entry has been improved.

–Noise and echo cancellation during phone calls has been improved to enhance call quality.

—Gracenote album cover art database

–Inclusion of the latest music metadata available enhancing the music playback experience.

–Improved voice recognition for music search allowing drivers to pinpoint artists with hard-to-pronounce names or nicknames.

Taking Heed of Customer Requests

So how did Ford come up with these particular upgrades and changes?

Since MyFord launched last fall, the company notes it has held four customer clinics in which hundreds of owners talked directly to Ford engineers about their experiences with the new technology.

While a survey of 2011 Ford Edge owners shows that four of the top seven purchase reasons were elements of the MyFord Touch system: the touch screen, steering wheel controls, voice recognition and dashboard styling, owners voiced distinct concerns and requests, as well.

Earlier this year, Ford said it “started delivering on their requests,” beginning with more instructions and information on how to best utilize the capabilities of the system.

In reponse, Ford added a new MyFord Touch owner support website featuring how-to videos at www.syncmyride.com.

“The keys to continuous improvement are simple: listen, learn and respond. That’s how we’re going to keep our customers happy,” said Gary Jablonski, manager of SYNC platform development.

“Evolving the software with meaningful enhanced features was part of our plan from the very beginning. It’s no different than the experience with our smartphones and laptop computers, except now, it’s your car that gets better,” he asserted.

Furthermore, free “SYNC My Ride” personalized training sessions for new owners are now offered through Ford dealers.

Per the new upgrades, early next year, owners located in the U.S. will be mailed a USB flash drive with the software upgrade for installation, as well as instructions, that they can do at their own convenience, the company explained.

Customers also have the option of visiting their local Ford or Lincoln dealer for the software installation.

For a video demonstration of the improvements, see here.