Ford Sync adds Wi-Fi

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Ford announced today that the next version of Sync will turn cars into rolling Wi-Fi hot spots. The user will have to supply an Internet connection in the form of a USB wireless Internet modem, which will plug into Sync's USB port in the car. Ford will add Wi-Fi hardware to Sync, setting up the car as a rolling network. The WiFi network will use WPA2 security to keep out leechers.

As current Sync-equipped cars only have one USB port, using a USB modem would eliminate the possibility of playing music through that port. Ford may have to consider adding extra USB ports to its cars.

Ford did not announce a date when this new version of Sync would come out, and also said it would be available on "select Sync-equipped vehicles," suggesting it may be limited to specific models.