Skip to main content

Ford partners with What3words to offer precise navigation

Ford has joined forces with geocoding start-up What3words to offer its drivers in North America and Europe with more precise navigation. What3words, a global addressing system, divides the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and assigns each a three-word address made up dictionary words. Ford says its drivers will be able to enter destinations by voice or text for any location, including destinations without an address. Ford drivers will be able to connect the company’s SYNC 3 infotainment plat
February 27, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
278 Ford has joined forces with geocoding start-up What3words to offer its drivers in North America and Europe with more precise navigation.


What3words, a global addressing system, divides the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and assigns each a three-word address made up dictionary words.

Ford says its drivers will be able to enter destinations by voice or text for any location, including destinations without an address.  

Ford drivers will be able to connect the company’s SYNC 3 infotainment platform with the Whats3words app, available on iOS and Android devices. They can then input a three word address to navigate to a precise 3m x 3m square.

Don Butler, executive director, connected vehicle platform and product, at Ford, says the solution can be used by commercial vehicle drivers working from a mobile office and those driving for leisure.

What3words is available for Ford drivers in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, the US and Mexico. More locations are expected to follow later this year.

Related Content

  • February 3, 2012
    The future of in-vehicle navigation systems
    TRL's Alan Stevens looks at the evolution and future prospects of in-vehicle navigation devices. Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) plays a crucial role in the safety of vehicles on our roads. Until we achieve full automation (and that's a debatable prospect anyway) a driver's interaction with the vehicle - all the controls, information and systems - holds a pivotal role in safe driving.
  • December 3, 2018
    Panasonic in Colorado: Rocky mountain way
    Panasonic is at the heart of a C-V2X project which began last year in Colorado. The company’s smart mobility boss Chris Armstrong tells Adam Hill how it is working out Colorado needs traffic and transport solutions – and fast. The US state’s population has grown 50% in the last 20 years and another 50% hike is predicted in the next 20. It also spends more than $13 billion in roadway crash costs each year. In 2015, 546 people died in traffic-related crashes, and more than 3,000 were seriously injured.
  • September 4, 2013
    Nokia sells device business to Microsoft, but retains Here
    Nokia Corporation has signed an agreement to sell substantially all of its devices and services business and licence its patents to Microsoft for US$7.1 billion in cash, payable at closing. Following the transaction, Nokia plans to focus on its three established businesses: NSN network infrastructure and services; Here mapping and location services; and Advanced Technologies technology development and licensing.
  • January 26, 2012
    What's next for traffic management and data collection?
    As the technologies and stakeholders in traffic management evolve, what can we expect to see happening in the coming years? For many, the conversation of the moment is just how, and how far, the newer technologies and services provided principally by the private sector should be allowed to intrude into the realms of traffic management.