Yes, believe it or not, SYNC will be able help you manage your chronic illness.

As Americans take a more active role in managing their health and well-being, Ford researchers are taking a leading role in developing a series of health and wellness in-car connectivity solutions designed to empower people with self-help information while they drive.

Leveraging Ford SYNC® and its ability to connect devices via Bluetooth, access cloud-based Internet services and control smartphone apps, Ford is taking charge in this automotive whitespace area, developing industry-first voice-controlled in-car connections to an array of health aids from glucose monitoring devices, diabetes management services, asthma management tools and Web-based allergen alert solutions.

“Ford SYNC is well known in the industry and with consumers as a successful in-car infotainment system, but we want to broaden the paradigm, transforming SYNC into a tool that can help improve people’s lives as well as the driving experience,” said Paul Mascarenas, chief technology officer and vice president, Ford Research and Innovation.

Some of the ways it can bring health and wellness connectivity into the car right now are:

• Device connectivity via Bluetooth – Leveraging Bluetooth, medical devices can be connected to the car to share information through SYNC, just like a driver connects and accesses his or her cellphone and address book by voice control

• Cloud-based services – Ford created an off-board network of location-based traffic, directions and information providers that drivers can simply access via their cellphone. Known as SYNC Services, new services such as medical services can be easily added through this plug-and-play voice-controlled capability

• AppLink – Ford’s latest SYNC innovation allows smartphone apps to be accessed by drivers via voice control. The SYNC application programming interface (API) allows app developers to enable their apps to communicate through SYNC, delivering a smarter way for drivers to manage apps while driving