Leave the Nintendo at home.
Ford’s infotainment systems have made serious progress over the last few years. Remember the Microsoft-based Sync system? It was nearly as bad as Cadillac’s much-hated Cue system at one point. That’s certainly no longer the case. The Ford Bronco’s center screen is fantastic to use and feels like it takes up half the cabin. Ford’s new tablet-style system found in the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford F-150 Lightning is also seriously good.
It’s getting a little better every day, with a neat new feature making an appearance ahead of the Lightning’s April 26 debut. You’ll be able to play games in your electric truck, as shown below. Ford CP of Global EV Programs Darren Palmer shared a video of his kids playing a game on the truck’s tablet screen via LinkedIn.
The game itself is a pretty simple one. Customers will be playing as a Ford vehicle, dodging traffic, and collecting coins to earn points. The car itself is controlled by the volume wheel at the bottom of the infotainment unit, which also makes some nice clicky noises when it’s turned. You’ll also notice that the traffic being dodged is comprised of other Ford models. We see a Bronco, Mustang GT500, and of course, an F-150. It isn’t clear if you’ll be able to choose the car you play with.
Ford was also careful to avoid getting into any NHTSA-branded hot water with the new system. The games are only accessible when the truck is parked. Tesla was reprimanded back in December when it was discovered games could be played while the car was in motion, a no-no in the NHTSA’s book.
It’s important to note that Palmer said “games” in his LinkedIn post. That leads us to believe there’s going to be more than one available after the EV debuts. We’re betting Ford will continue to add more as time goes on, as features like this can be easily integrated into owner’s vehicles via an over-the-air update.
For now, we’ll have to wait for the Lightning’s debut for more details. With the base truck offering 426 hp and an incredible 775 lb-ft of torque, the games are really just the icing on top of what should be a killer new truck from Ford. That base model will start at $39,794 MSRP, though getting one will be tough. Demand is already incredibly high.
